Judge rejects Trump suit against NYT, reporters over 2018 article

A New York judge on Wednesday dismissed former President Donald Trump's lawsuit against the New York Times and several of its reporters over a 2018 article about his finances.

Trump had sued the outlet, as well as his niece, in 2021, alleging that reporters Susanne Craig, David Barstow, and Russ Buettner were liable for encouraging Mary Trump to provide them with confidential materials, also claiming that Mary violated a settlement agreement with him in doing so, The Hill reported.

Justice Robert Reed said Trump's claims "fail as a matter of constitutional law" and noted that "[c]ourts have long recognized that reporters are entitled to engage in legal and ordinary newsgathering activities without fear of tort liability — as these actions are at the very core of protected First Amendment activity."

He further ordered that Trump pay all of the defendants' legal fees.

NYT spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander celebrated the ruling, calling Reed's decision an "important precedent reaffirming that the press is protected when it engages in routine newsgathering to obtain information of vital importance to the public," per The Hill.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.