United States: Trump sues CNN for defamation, claims 475 million dollars

by Dan Whitcomb

(Reuters) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit on Monday against CNN, accusing it of waging a campaign of “defamation and slander” against him and seeking $475 million in punitive damages.

In the complaint filed with the District Court of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Donald Trump says he believes CNN used its considerable influence as a leading news channel to beat him politically.

CNN declined to comment on the matter.

Donald Trump said in a separate statement that he could launch similar proceedings against other news organizations in the “coming weeks or months”.

The former Republican tenant of the White House says in the 29-page court document that CNN has long been critical of him but the network has amplified its attacks in recent months over fears he will run for president again American, in 2024.

“As part of a concerted effort to tip the political balance to the left, CNN is attempting to smear plaintiff with a series of even more outrageous, false, libelous smears of ‘racist,’ ‘Russian lackey,’ ‘insurrectionist,’ and finally ‘Hitler'”, it is written.

Donald Trump, beaten in 2020 by Democrat Joe Biden, has not announced whether he will re-enter the race for the White House.

The 76-year-old former television presenter is the target of various investigations in the United States, including a federal investigation for having kept government documents in his Florida residence in Mar-a-Lago after his departure from the White House.

(Redaction of Paris)