A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit Donald Trump in which the former U.S. president claimed that references in news articles or by the network鈥檚 hosts to his as 鈥渢he Big Lie鈥� was tantamount to comparing him to Adolf Hitler.
Trump had been seeking punitive damages of $475 million in the federal lawsuit filed last October in South Florida, claiming the references hurt his reputation and political career. Trump is a in what is his third run for the presidency.
U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal, who was appointed by Trump, said Friday in his ruling that the former president鈥檚 defamation claims failed because the references were opinions and not factual statements. Moreover, it was a stretch to believe that, in viewers鈥� minds, that phrase would connect Trump鈥檚 efforts challenging the 2020 election results to Nazi propaganda or Hitler鈥檚 genocidal and authoritarian regime, the judge said.
鈥淐NN鈥檚 use of the phrase 鈥榯he Big Lie鈥� in connection with Trump鈥檚 election challenges does not give rise to a plausible inference that Trump advocates the persecution and genocide of Jews or any other group of people,鈥� the judge wrote in his decision.
Email messages seeking comment were sent to Trump鈥檚 attorneys in South Florida and Washington. CNN declined to comment on Sunday.
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