Navy Vet Expands Wave of Defamation Suits to U.S. News & World Report

April 24th, 2025 11:54 AM

Navy veteran Zachary Young filed a defamation suit against U.S. News & World Report on Wednesday, the third such defamation suit filed after his trial victory against CNN in January. In the complaint filed with Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit in Bay County, Young alleged that U.S. News had defamed him by way of republishing the same Associated Press article he recently sued them for.

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AP Calls Defamation Suit ‘Frivolous’ as Young Seeks Punitive Damages

April 16th, 2025 1:07 PM

The liberal media love to portray themselves as the sole gatekeepers of truth and facts; and when they get called out for getting things wrong, they get very testy and indignant. The Associated Press flashed that attitude in a letter to Navy veteran Zachary Young, and in recent comments about the defamation suit against them (after they falsely claimed Young was engaged in “human smuggling” in…

U.S. News Pulls Republished AP Article that Sparked Defamation Suit

April 14th, 2025 11:22 AM

As NewsBusters was first to report, on Friday, Navy veteran Zachary Young had filed a lawsuit against The Associated Press for defamation after they falsely described his Afghanistan evacuation efforts as “human smuggling,” a term the AP Stylebook said was reserved for illegal activity. Over the weekend, U.S. News and World Report retracted their republication of the offending AP…

Associated Press Faces Defamation Lawsuit from Navy Vet Who Beat CNN

April 11th, 2025 11:56 AM

In a Friday filing with Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit in Bay County, Navy veteran Zachary Young filed a defamation suit against the Associated Press for making similar claims against him which led to CNN being found liable for malicious defamation. The complaint pointed out that the AP used similar rhetoric against Young that they used for criminal conduct and that they refused to…

SCOOP: Puck News Sued for Defamation By Same Navy Vet Who Beat CNN

March 28th, 2025 9:53 PM

After successfully winning a consequential defamation suit against CNN in January, Navy veteran Zachary Young had media-industry publication Puck News in his sights. According to a complaint filed in Bay County, Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit on Friday, and exclusively obtained by NewsBusters, Young was accusing left-leaning Puck News, via the reporting of “entertainment law expert…

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CNN Host Gets Grilled By VA Secy. on Malicious Defamation of Navy Vet

March 27th, 2025 3:12 PM

For the first time on CNN since the ruling came out in January, CNN viewers finally got an inkling of the fact that the network was found liable for malicious defamation of Navy veteran Zachary Young. No, it wasn’t because the network finally decided to be open an honest with their viewers; it was because Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins demanded answers on behalf of “one of my veterans…

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CNN’s Defamation Lawyer Lied to Judge, Forced to Apologize to Navy Vet

January 23rd, 2025 3:34 PM

Largely lost in the coverage of witness testimony, breaking news of the liability verdict against CNN, and the subsequent settlement on punitive damages, was how CNN’s lead counsel David Axelrod (not to be confused with the CNN commentator of the same name) had repeatedly lied to Judge William Scott Henry and was dressed down in front of the court and streamed around the world because of it.…

NewsBusters Podcast: Nick Fondacaro on CNN Found Guilty of Defamation

January 17th, 2025 9:20 PM

A jury in Panama City, Florida found CNN guilty of defamation in the case of Zachary Young, who worked to rescue people from Afghanistan after America withdrew. CNN must pay $5 million in damages (not counting punitive damages). Associate Editor Nick Fondacaro has been in the courtroom to explain it all. 

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Zachary Young Speaks Out to NewsBusters About His Defamation Victory

January 17th, 2025 8:37 PM

Panama City, FL – The defamation case brought by Navy veteran Zachary Young has left CNN permanently marked as “fake news” after his victory in court on Friday. As NewsBusters previously reported, the jury of six found CNN did defame Young, that they did it with malice, and they should be punished for it. The ruling spurred CNN to seek an undisclosed settlement. And in the…

BREAKING: CNN Found Liable for Defamation of Navy Vet Zachary Young

January 17th, 2025 11:22 AM

Panama City, FL – On Friday, a jury of six in Florida’s 14th Circuit Court in Bay County has found CNN liable for the defamation of Navy veteran Zachary Young and that he was entitled economic and emotional damages, a ruling that proved CNN was not worthy of their moniker “the most trusted name in news.” They also found that CNN’s reporters had demonstrated expressed malice,…

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Deliberation: Jury Hears Closing Arguments in CNN Defamation Trial

January 16th, 2025 7:49 PM

The six-person jury for the $1 billion defamation suit against CNN heard closing arguments on Thursday and started their deliberations. Both parties urged the jury to use their “common sense” to see them through deliberations and secure them the legal victory. But it was the argument of Vel Freedman, the lead counsel for Navy veteran and Plaintiff Zachary Young, who called on the jury, “Your…

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BRUTAL Defamation Juror Questions Give Insight Ahead of Deliberations

January 15th, 2025 8:38 PM

Something unique about the Florida judicial system is, baring objection of counsels and the court, jurors get to ask questions of the witnesses. These questions could be used as possible insight into a jury’s temperament and possible mindset as a trial unfolds. In the case of the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN, the tea leaves seemed to indicate on Wedndesday that they weren’t looking…

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Jake Tapper Seemingly Lies in Deposition Testimony for Defamation Case

January 14th, 2025 10:37 PM

In lieu of adding more in-person witnesses to a trial with a hard deadline, Tuesday’s proceedings in the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN featured the sworn deposition videos of five CNN employees who had their fingerprints on the offending report. One of the more eyebrow-raising testimonies of the bunch came from CNN anchor Jake Tapper who’s show - The Lead - the report…

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Marquardt Refuses to Apologize for Alleged Defamation, Doubles Down

January 13th, 2025 8:06 PM

Week Two of the $1 billion defamation trial against CNN kicked off Monday with the testimony of CNN chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt, the architect of the allegedly defamatory report. The key moments from this time on the witness stand were when he refused to apologize to Navy veteran and Plaintiff Zachary Young, doubled down on the false assertions that Young was…