CNN Cleared of Defamation Allegations
A federal judge has dismissed Donald Trump’s $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN. The former US President accused the cable network of likening him to Adolf Hitler due to their characterization of his unsubstantiated claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him as the “Big Lie.” However, US District Judge Raag Singhal, who was appointed by Trump, ruled that CNN’s comments were a matter of opinion, thus not legally defamatory.
CNN’s Use of “The Big Lie”
The focal point of the lawsuit was CNN’s use of the phrase “the Big Lie” to describe Trump’s election challenges. Trump contended that this terminology unfairly associated him with Hitler and his Nazi propaganda campaign, which led to the persecution of Jews. Nevertheless, the judge deemed the network’s statements as opinion, asserting that they did not suggest Trump advocated for the persecution of any group, making the defamation claims fail as a matter of law.
Verdict Explanation
In his ruling, Judge Singhal clarified that while CNN’s use of the phrase may be deemed repugnant, it does not meet the criteria for defamation under Florida law. He further emphasized that no reasonable viewer could plausibly infer that Trump supported the persecution and genocide of any group based on CNN’s comments. Thus, the court concluded that the statements were opinion-based and not defamatory.
Ongoing Legal Battles for Trump
This case is one of several legal challenges Donald Trump is currently facing. He is indicted twice and confronting 40 criminal charges related to the alleged mishandling of classified government documents. Additionally, Trump is grappling with 34 felony counts linked to falsifying business records concerning a payment to a porn star in New York. Furthermore, he may face a possible indictment concerning his alleged attempts to undermine the 2020 election.
Unraveling the Origins of “Repeat a Lie Often Enough and It Becomes the Truth”
While the phrase “repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth” is often attributed to Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, the European Center for Populism Studies states that it first appeared in Hitler’s Mein Kampf, 16 years before Goebbels used it. Interestingly, Hitler initially used the phrase to describe the behavior of Jews, rather than as a tactic he endorsed himself.
SOURCE: Ref Image from Politico
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