Washington (AP) – Former US President Donald Trump accuses CNN of defamation and wants to sue for hundreds of millions in damages.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in a Florida state court by Trump’s lawyers, alleges that the broadcaster attempted to use its massive influence as a supposedly trusted news source to slander him and “defeat him politically.” This smear campaign has only intensified in recent months “because CNN fears the actor will run for president in 2024”.
As part of a “concerted effort” to tip the political balance to the left, CNN has scandalously labeled Trump a “racist” or “Russian lackey” and compared him to Hitler. Examples of this are listed on about two dozen pages of the complaint. Damages of 475 million dollars (483 million euros) are requested. The lawyers wrote that the CNN report caused damage to Trump’s reputation, “pain, humiliation and mental anguish”.
Media reporting critically about him regularly denigrate Trump as a liar (“fake news”) and “enemy of the people”. For months, the Republican has been fueling speculation that he could run for his party again in the 2024 presidential election. He describes every action taken against him, including various legal disputes with official bodies, as an attempt by his political opponents to prevent him. to stand for office.
