Judge dismisses Trump lawsuit

A Florida judge has allowed Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos to proceed, asserting a jury could find Trump's claims of defamation valid regarding Stephanopoulos' statements about a jury's liability finding related to E. Jean Carroll. The judge noted that Stephanopoulos might have misconstrued the legal definition of rape under New York law, indicating the case will continue to trial. Meanwhile, in Utah, a federal judge dismissed part of a lawsuit from social media companies challenging the state's new age restrictions, ruling that the Communications Decency Act does not preempt state laws banning certain features on minors' accounts, although First Amendment claims will continue. Social media companies argue that these regulations violate users' rights, while Utah lawmakers celebrate the ruling as a victory for protecting minors from social media harms. The ongoing legal battles reflect a significant clash between state regulations aimed at youth safety and tech companies' claims of free speech violations.