Trump Vows to Use Libel Laws to Take on Media as President

“I think the media is among the most dishonest groups of people I’ve ever met. They’re awful. We’re gonna open up those libel laws”. The changes envisioned by Trump would mean that “when they write purposely negative and terrible and false articles, we can sue them and win lots of money”, he said.

“Trump talked about getting back at the media during a rally Friday in Fort Worth, Texas”. Trump’s dissatisfaction with the media has become a dominant theme of his campaign, and national newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post have been among his favorite targets.

Yes, Donald Trump openly said he wants to loosen libel laws so it’s easier for him to go after media outlets that report negative things about him. In January he threatened a writer at the Washington Post who was working on a story about how the Trump Taj Mahal casino was going bankrupt, saying “if you write this one, I’m suing you”.

Trump has not been alone among presidential aspirants in singling out the media for repeated criticism, although none have suggested altering laws to speed litigation.

Trump is no stranger to threatening and suing journalists when he doesn’t like what is written about him.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says he wouldn’t want 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney’s endorsement even if it were offered.

A President could appoint Justices intent on overturning the press protections of Sullivan or promote a constitutional amendment to overturn it. Assuming one or the other eventually was made to happen, further changes in libel law would probably require action at the state level, short of some novel attempt to create a federal cause of action for defamation.

“I’ve never heard of politicians say they would repeal case law established under the First Amendment”, he said. Courts have regularly found that such children are natural born citizens entitled to the same rights as any other American. “You need an act of Congress. I’m telling you – you need an act of Congress”, he said in an interview with Bill O’Reilly of Fox News past year.