Trump Ordered to Pay NYT Nearly $400K Over Failed Lawsuit

Facts

New York Supreme Court Justice Robert Reed ruled on Friday that former Pres. Donald Trump must pay the New York Times and three of its reporters $392,638 in legal fees over a failed lawsuit.¹
Justice Reed said that he determined the amount through the consideration of several factors, including 'the complexity of the issues' in the lawsuit and the 'ability and reputation' of lawyers representing the newspaper.²
In 2021, Trump sued the publication, its reporters Susanne Craig, David Barstow, and Russell Buettner, as well as his estranged niece Mary Trump, for conspiring to obtain and publish his tax records so as to publish a report on his family's wealth and tax practices.³
The lawsuit was dismissed in May 2023 after a judge ruled that the First Amendment protected the Pulitzer Prize-winning 2018 story. However, the allegation that Mary had violated a prior settlement contract to release the family's confidential financial documents is still pending.⁴
In a separate ruling, Justice Reed also denied Mary's request to put the case on hold so she could appeal a June decision that allowed some of Trump's claims against her to advance. Her request to reimburse legal fees was also rejected.⁵
Despite facing several criminal cases as well as civil litigation while he seeks a second term in the White House, including multiple efforts to remove him from the ballot, Trump reportedly remains the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination.⁶

Anti-Trump narrative, as provided by The New Republic. This is yet another legal blow for Donald Trump. His frivolous and unconstitutional allegations against the New York Times and its journalists, who legitimately published a series of stories exposing he wasn't the self-made billionaire he claimed to be, have backfired. At this rate, Trump will sabotage his own campaign before the primaries have even taken place.
Pro-Trump narrative, as provided by National Review. Though the success of the New York Times and its reporters in this litigation is a setback, these rulings have seen Justice Reed reassert the strength of claims against Mary Trump, and further dismiss her attempts to dodge accountability. This development should not overshadow Trump's remarkable chances of success in the upcoming primaries.