Donald Trump is losing another lawyer in another pending case. It’s actually his second time losing this same lawyer in a matter of days.
Jim Trusty had recently parted ways with the former president after Trump’s latest criminal indictment. Now, the lawyer wants off Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN, which seeks $475 million from the cable network over an alleged “smear campaign.”
His motion to withdraw from that civil suit, filed Friday in Florida federal court, cited “irreconcilable differences” and said Trusty “can no longer effectively and properly represent” the former president. Trusty and John Rowley previously left Trump’s defense team after the Republican presidential front-runner was federally indicted June 8 in his classified documents case.
For anyone concerned that Trump will be left without counsel in a pressing matter, fear not. Per Trusty’s motion, his withdrawal “does not adversely impact any parties,” because oral argument on CNN’s motion to dismiss hasn’t been scheduled, discovery hasn’t started, and there are no pending deadlines. Plus, he points out, Trump “continues to be served by co-counsel on the matter, Lindsey Halligan, a member of the Florida Bar.”
Thus, the former president can continue with his lawsuit, which alleges that CNN persistently associated Trump with Hitler and Nazism. The network has called the claims “untenable and repugnant to a free press and open political debate.”
Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Blog newsletter for weekly updates on the top legal stories, including news from the Supreme Court, the Donald Trump investigations and more.
