Former President Trump was ordered to pay nearly $400,000 to The New York Times and journalists for a 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning article about his family.
On Friday, a New York judge ordered former President Donald Trump to pay nearly $400,000 to The New York Times and three of its journalists for a 2018 Pulitzer Prize-winning article about his family’s wealth and tax practices. The article was based on confidential tax records provided to reporters by Trump’s niece, Mary Trump.
Why has Trump been ordered to pay $400K to The New York Times and reporters?
In May, Judge Robert Reed dismissed the lawsuit filed against the newspaper and its three reporters, Susanne Craig, David Barstow, and Russell Buettner. He stated that Trump’s lawsuit against his niece, whom he claims violated a previous settlement agreement by disclosing tax records, is still ongoing.
Reed said Trump’s legal fees of $392,638 to the Times and reporters were reasonable, given the “complexity of the issues” and other factors in the case. He also praised the state’s anti-SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) law, which shields journalists from frivolous lawsuits designed to silence them.
“Today’s decision shows that the state’s newly amended anti-SLAPP statute can be a powerful force for protecting press freedom,” said Danielle Rhoads Ha, a spokesperson for the Times.
“The court has sent a message to those who want to misuse the judicial system to try to silence journalists,” she added.
In another ruling on Friday, Reed denied Mary Trump’s request to halt the case while she appealed his June decision, which allowed Trump’s lawsuit against her to proceed.
Alina Habba, a lawyer for Donald Trump, expressed disappointment that the Times and reporters were no longer involved in the case. She stated that they were pleased that the court had “once again affirmed the strength of our claims against Mary and is denying her attempt to avoid accountability.”
“We look forward to proceeding with our claims against her,” she was quoted as saying.
Donald Trump filed the lawsuit in 2021, claiming that the Times and reporters pursued Mary Trump as a source of information and persuaded her to turn over the tax returns. He claimed that the reporters were aware that she was not permitted to reveal the documents, which she had obtained in a dispute over the estate of Fred Trump, the family patriarch.
According to the Times article, the former president received at least $413 million from his father over the years, including through tax avoidance schemes. Mary Trump confirmed in a 2020 book that she was the source for the documents.