Trump files $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN

The lawsuit focuses primarily on CNN’s use of the term “The Big Lie” about Donald Trump’s claims of widespread fraud, which he says cost him the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden

Former President Donald Trump on Monday sued CNN, seeking $475 million in damages, saying the network had defamed him in an effort to short-circuit any future political campaign.

The lawsuit, filed in U. S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, focuses primarily on the term “The Big Lie” about Mr. Trump's claims of widespread fraud that he says cost him the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden.

There was no immediate comment from CNN.

Mr. Trump repeatedly attacked CNN as president, which resonated with his conservative followers. He has similarly filed lawsuits against big tech companies with little success. His case against Twitter for knocking him off its platform following the January 6, 2021, U. S. Capitol insurrection was thrown out by a California judge earlier this year.

Numerous federal and local election officials in both parties, a long list of courts, top former campaign staffers and even Mr. Trump’s own attorney general have all said there is no evidence of the election fraud he alleges.

Mr. Trump's lawsuit claims “The Big Lie,” a phrase with Nazi connotations, has been used in reference to him more than 7,700 times on CNN since January 2021.

“It is intended to aggravate, scare and trigger people,” he said.