Judge Obliterates Trump’s $15 Billion Lawsuit Against NYT—Mocks Legal Circus

Courtroom drama turns to judicial ridicule as a $15 billion legal showdown gets tossed.

Legal Theater Meets Reality Check

The judge didn’t just dismiss the case—they eviscerated it. Calling the arguments 'theatrical' and 'without merit,' the ruling highlighted a pattern of legal overreach that’s become all too familiar in high-stakes financial battles. No new ground was broken, just another billionaire learning that courts aren’t PR firms.

Finance Jab: Because nothing says 'stable investment' like betting $15 billion on a lawsuit instead of, say, Bitcoin.

Case closed. Funds not recovered.

Judge blasts filing and demands a professional rewrite

Steven, who was appointed by George H.W. Bush, didn’t hold back in his order. He said the court is not a stage for venting frustrations. “As every lawyer knows (or is presumed to know), a complaint is not a public forum for vituperation and invective — not a protected platform to rage against an adversary,” Steven wrote in the decision.

He also said, “A complaint is not a megaphone for public relations or a podium for a passionate oration at a political rally or the functional equivalent of the Hyde Park Speakers’ Corner.”

Trump’s legal team had named four New York Times reporters and Penguin Random House as defendants. Penguin got dragged in because of a book they published, Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, written by Times reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner. Trump’s lawyers claimed the book was filled with false and malicious statements meant to harm his image.

Steven told Trump’s team they have 28 days to revise and resubmit the lawsuit. But this time, they’re under strict rules. The complaint must not exceed 40 pages, not including the caption, signature, or attachments. And the judge warned that the case will “begin, continue, and end” under procedural law — no more legal theater.

Trump lashes out, reporters respond, case remains on life support

During an Oval Office event, ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl confronted Trump with the news that the lawsuit had been dismissed. Trump didn’t take it well. “I’m winning, I’m winning the cases,” he said before turning his frustration directly at Karl.

“You’re guilty, Jon, you’re guilty. ABC is a terrible network, a very unfair network, and you should be ashamed of yourself. NBC is equally bad. I don’t know who’s worse.”

After the ruling, a spokesman for Trump’s legal team issued a statement to CNBC saying, “President Trump will continue to hold the Fake News accountable through this powerhouse lawsuit against The New York Times, its reporters, and Penguin Random House, in accordance with the judge’s direction on logistics.”

The Times also responded to the court’s decision, saying, “We welcome the judge’s quick ruling, which recognized that the complaint was a political document rather than a serious legal filing.”

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