Former President Donald Trump is threatening to sue CNN, demanding the network take down, retract, and cease and desist the use of the terms “Big Lie” and “lying” when reporting on his challenges to the 2020 election results.
The notice of intent to bring civil action for defamation is dated Thursday but was shared by Trump’s Save America leadership on Wednesday. The letter informs CNN that beginning when the notice was given, the network has 10 days to publish a correction, apology, or retraction for the articles and broadcasts calling Trump a liar.
“Accordingly, I hereby demand on behalf of President Donald Trump that CNN (1) immediately take down the false and defamatory publications, (2) immediately issue a full and fair retraction of the statements identified herein in as conspicuous a manner as they were originally published, and (3) immediately cease and desist from its continued use of ‘Big Lie’ and ‘lying’ when describing President Trump’s subjective belief regarding the integrity of the 2020 election,” said the letter from Trump’s lawyers.
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The letter was addressed to CNN CEO Chris Licht and CNN Executive Vice President and General Counsel David Vigilante and contains a number of exhibits of articles and comments on air related to the election.
Trump’s legal team cited the Webster’s Dictionary definition of a “lie,” which is defined as “an assertion of something known or believed by the speaker to be untrue with intent to deceive.” The letter claimed the definition requires the speaker to know he is speaking falsely and argues that in Trump’s case, he subjectively believes the 2020 election results “turned on fraudulent voting activity in several key states.”
Trump’s lawyers also claimed CNN gave “unique treatment” to the former president, characterizing him as a liar, when other public figures, some of whom have been proven to be telling lies, were not referred to as liars by CNN, such as actor Jussie Smollett, former FBI official Andrew McCabe, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams.
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Trump, whose claims of a stolen election have been roundly rejected by courts and election officials, is also threatening to sue other news outlets.
“I have notified CNN of my intent to file a lawsuit over their repeated defamatory statements against me,” Trump said in a statement. “I will also be commencing actions against other media outlets who have defamed me and defrauded the public regarding the overwhelming evidence of fraud throughout the 2020 Election. I will never stop fighting for the truth and for the future of our Country!”
CNN will not comment on Trump’s notice, a spokesperson told the Washington Examiner.
