Florida judge tosses Trump's $15 billion defamation suit against The New York Times for length

A Florida federal judge on Friday tossed President Donald Trump's $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, ruling that the complaint was too long and improperly structured. U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday ordered Trump to file an amended complaint within 28 days that does not exceed 40 pages.

In a four-page order, Merryday faulted an 85-page filing for alleging only two defamation counts while piling on lengthy factual assertions and argument. He said the filing was an improper and impermissible use of the court and warned that a complaint is not a megaphone for political speech or a platform for public relations.

Trump filed the suit Monday, arguing The Times lied and defamed him and accused the newspaper of acting as a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party and of participating in an illegal campaign contribution to Kamala Harris in 2024. The Times has called the lawsuit meritless and an intimidation tactic.

The court gave Trump 28 days to file an amended complaint that does not exceed 40 pages, noting that the current filing consumes eighty-five pages despite asserting only two counts of defamation.

The Times responded that the suit is an intimidation tactic and meritless. This case is part of Trump's broader pattern of suing major media outlets as a way to challenge coverage he views as hostile.

This ruling underscores pleading standards under Rule 8, which require a short and plain statement of the facts showing why relief should be granted. The judge emphasized that a complaint should not be used to rehearse full evidentiary detail or to argue a political case, and warned that it should be concise and directly tied to the claims.

Next steps for Trump include deciding whether to file an amended complaint within the 28-day window and, if so, whether the filing can meet the page-limit requirement and state plausible defamation claims against The New York Times and any named reporters.

Context: The decision follows a string of legal actions taken by Trump against media organizations in recent years, including suits over coverage of his business and political activities. The New York Times has reported extensively on his ties to various figures and events; Trump's latest filing accuses the Times of acting as a campaign arm for political opponents.