Judge strikes down Trump's $15bn lawsuit against the New York Times

A US federal judge has struck down Donald Trump's $15bn defamation lawsuit against the New York Times newspaper on Friday, citing issues with its contents.

US District Judge Steven Merryday said Trump violated a federal rule requiring applicants to outline in a short and plain statement on why they deserve relief from the court.

A legal complaint, the judge said, is not "a protected platform to rage against an adversary". He gave Trump 28 days to file an amended complaint.

Trump signalled he would sue the New York Times earlier this week in a post on Truth Social, claiming the newspaper has been "allowed to freely lie, smear and defame me for far too long".