Donald Trump. Photo: Charly Triballeau/AP
Following his recent victory in a case against the ABC television network, Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register newspaper, CBS television channel and journalist Bob Woodward. Experts quoted by Politico and The New York Times believe that the purpose of such lawsuits is not so much to win as to intimidate media representatives.
Media lawyers predict an increase in the number of lawsuits filed by Trump and his political allies against the media. Such actions intensified after ABC agreed to pay $16 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by the newly elected US president. According to human rights activists, this agreement has become a dangerous precedent that could push Trump to make greater use of private civil lawsuits against media critics when he returns to power.
Lawyers warn that such actions are aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear among journalists. Renowned lawyer David Schultz of the Yale Law School noted that this “fuels the idea that the media is unfair to Trump” and could provoke an avalanche of lawsuits, including groundless ones.
Trump himself called his actions “necessary to clean up the media”. He has stated his intention to continue filing lawsuits against media outlets and their representatives who, in his opinion, disseminate false information. As an example, Trump has already filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and Ann Zelzer for publishing an election poll that he believes deliberately underestimated his approval rating in Iowa on the eve of the election.
In parallel, Trump continues his campaign against other journalists and media organisations. He has filed a lawsuit against Bob Woodward, accusing him of illegally using interview recordings, as well as against CBS for allegedly manipulating an interview with Kamala Harris.
Human rights activists are concerned that this practice could lead to self-control on the part of the media for fear of prosecution. In addition, experts believe that Trump is trying to change libel laws to simplify the process of filing lawsuits against journalists.
Many analysts see this strategy as an attempt to limit press freedom by using lawsuits as a weapon against critical media. In their view, such actions pose a serious threat to democracy and the independence of journalism in the United States.
