Jake Tapper's vilification of Fox News may kick him in the butt in CNN defamation trial

CNN anchor Jake Tapper's criticism of Fox News might come back to haunt the network during an upcoming defamation lawsuit. This lawsuit stems from a 2021 segment on Tapper's show where they wrongly accused a Navy veteran named Zachary Young of exploiting Afghan nationals trying to escape after the Taliban took over.

A Florida judge decided on Thursday to side with Young, who claims that Tapper and CNN wrongly painted him as an "illegal profiteer" during America's exit from Afghanistan. This ruling allows Young to bring up Tapper's harsh words about Fox News from November 2023 in court. Back then, Tapper called Fox News a "cancer on the democracy we have" and accused them of not fulfilling their "grave responsibility" to report news fairly and honestly. This was first reported by Law and Crime.

Young is seeking $1 billion in damages, arguing that Tapper’s statements should be part of the trial to demonstrate that both Tapper and CNN knew they had a duty to deliver accurate and fair news. He claims the November 2021 broadcast harmed his reputation and destroyed his business, Nemex Enterprises.

Judge William Henry, overseeing the case in Florida’s 14th Judicial Circuit, has also allowed Young to use text messages in court. These messages allegedly show that CNN staff intended to tarnish Young's image as a war profiteer.

In one text, Alex Marquardt, the national security correspondent for CNN and lead reporter on the segment, said he wanted to "nail this Zachary Young mfucker." Another message from CNN senior editor Fuzz Hogan referred to Young as "a shit." CNN did not respond to requests for comment on this matter.

This lawsuit could be another public relations hit for CNN, which prides itself on being "the most trusted name in news." Previously, they settled with Nicholas Sandmann, a 16-year-old student from Covington Catholic High School, in 2020 after wrongly depicting him in a confrontation with activist Nathan Phillips.

The trial against CNN is scheduled to begin later this month, shortly after ABC News paid Donald Trump $15 million to settle a claim over comments made by ABC anchor George Stephanopoulos, who labeled Trump a rapist.

Tapper, who once worked for ABC News after serving as press secretary for former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky in the 1990s, joined CNN later in his career.

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