Hopefully The Wall Street Journal and News Corp defend this legal action and do not settle as other media corporations have previously done. Trump has a history of suing media outlets that write any negative press about him and they should defend their first amendment rights as news outlets. News media has a role in keeping the public informed and a government accountable, a free and independent press in a democratic society maintains transparency allowing an informed public scrutiny.

Trump dismisses any negative story or article about him as fake news and seeks to have his administration exert pressure on news media to submit to his will. Trump’s attack on the first amendment seeks to establish his government the sole source of information in the US to increase his authority and bypass media scrutiny. With Trump utilising the power of the government to punish adversaries, this is a genuine misuse and abuse of power.

A complainant has to establish that the defendant knowingly published a false statement or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Trump has been fairly prolific in seeking defamation and has had a number dismissed at early stages. Similarly, Trump has had a couple of successes with Walt Disney’s ABC News agreeing to settle for $15 million [plus costs] along with Paramount Global, owner of CBS agreeing to similar costs for the Kamala Harris 60 Minutes interview. I hope The Wall Street Journal fights this defamation action, Trump is under enormous pressure with his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and MAGA voters are finally beginning to see through him.