ANKARA, October 4, 2022 – Former President Donald Trump has sued American news network CNN for defamation, seeking USD475 million in punitive damages.

Trump’s lawyers filed a lawsuit in US District Court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Monday, focusing on what they termed “CNN’s campaign of dissuasion in the form of libel and slander.”

Trump accused the broadcaster of pursuing the objective of “defeating him politically,” said the campaign culminated in “CNN claiming credit for [getting] Trump out,” referring to his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

CNN “tried to taint … (Trump) with a series of ever-more scandalous, false, and defamatory labels of ‘racist,’ ‘Russian lackey,’ ‘insurrectionist,’ and ultimately ‘Hitler,’” according to the filing.

Trump said the network has escalated its attacks because it “fears” he will run for president in 2024. (Anadolu)