A New York judge has ruled that former President Donald Trump must pay The New York Times and three of its reporters close to $400,000 in legal fees. This order comes after the dismissal of a lawsuit Trump filed against the newspaper and its journalists. The lawsuit centered on a 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation by the Times into Trump’s financial and tax affairs, including articles that detailed “suspect tax schemes.”
One of the highlighted articles in the investigation was titled “Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches from His Father.” The lawsuit, which sought $100 million in damages, accused the Times and the reporters of conspiring with Mary Trump, the former president’s estranged niece, to illegally obtain his tax records.
Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokeswoman for the Times, commented on the ruling, highlighting the significance of New York’s anti-SLAPP statute in protecting press freedom. SLAPP, standing for “strategic lawsuit against public participation,” refers to legal actions aimed at silencing public discourse.
Judge Robert Reed, who dismissed Trump’s lawsuit in May, stated that the former president’s claims were constitutionally untenable. He emphasized the importance of safeguarding journalists’ ability to conduct news-gathering activities without fear of legal repercussions, deeming these activities as essential to the First Amendment.
The legal costs Trump is ordered to cover include fees for the Times and the three reporters involved: Susanne Craig, David Barstow, and Russ Buettner. Trump’s lawyer, Alina Habba, expressed disappointment at the Times’ exit from the matter and indicated an intention to proceed with the lawsuit against Mary Trump. Trump’s initial lawsuit alleged that the defendants harbored a personal vendetta against him.