Florida Supreme Court Allows Trump’s Defamation Lawsuit Against Pulitzer Board to Proceed

The Florida Supreme Court has declined to pause a defamation lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump against the Pulitzer Prize Board, allowing the case to move forward in state court. In a brief order, the court stated it would not exercise jurisdiction over the case and would not entertain any motion for rehearing. This decision clears the way for the lawsuit to proceed without delay.

Trump’s lawsuit targets the board’s 2018 decision to award the Pulitzer Prize to The New York Times and The Washington Post for their reporting on Russian interference in the 2016 election. Trump has long claimed that the coverage was false and defamatory, branding it part of a broader “Russia collusion hoax.” He filed the suit in Florida, where he resides and where at least one member of the Pulitzer board is located.

The Pulitzer Board sought to delay the case, arguing that allowing it to proceed while Trump remains in office could create constitutional concerns by subjecting a sitting president to state court authority. However, both the trial court and the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal rejected that argument. The courts cited the 1997 U.S. Supreme Court case Clinton v. Jones, which ruled that a sitting president is not immune from civil litigation for actions unrelated to official duties.

In his suit, Trump accuses the board of acting with “actual malice” by upholding the prizes even after the Mueller report found insufficient evidence of coordination between his campaign and Russia. Despite Trump’s repeated public demands, the Pulitzer Board has refused to revoke the awards and has not commented on the latest court decision.

While no trial date has been set, the Florida Supreme Court’s refusal to intervene means the case will now proceed at the trial court level. The decision is seen as a procedural victory for Trump’s legal team as he continues efforts to challenge the legacy of the Russia investigation.