A panel of judges on the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals struck down President Donald Trump's attempt to keep a lawsuit against CNN alive.
In an eight-page ruling on Tuesday, the panel — including two judges appointed by Trump — concluded that the president's claim against CNN was "meritless." Trump had argued that CNN had defamed him by calling his objections to the outcome of the 2020 election "the big lie."
"Trump alleges that CNN published false statements of fact when it used the phrase 'Big Lie' in relation to Trump, which he asserted was intended to associate him with Hitler and Nazi propaganda," the ruling noted. "To be clear, CNN has never explicitly claimed that Trump’s 'actions and statements were designed to be, and actually were, variations of those [that] Hitler used to suppress and destroy populations.'"
"Trump has not adequately alleged the falsity of CNN’s statements. Therefore, he has failed to state a defamation claim," the judges continued. "Trump’s other arguments are likewise meritless."