Justice Thomas Grants Trump Extension in CNN Libel Case

President Donald Trump got some good news from the U.S. Supreme Court this week.

Justice Clarence Thomas has granted Trump an additional extension of time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari in his long-running defamation lawsuit against CNN, moving the deadline from July 15, 2026, to August 14, 2026.

The administrative order, issued under Supreme Court Rule 13.5, came in response to an application filed by Trump’s legal team on July 1, 2026.

It follows an earlier extension granted by Justice Thomas on June 5, 2026, which had set the original July 15 deadline.

These routine deadline adjustments give parties additional time to prepare complex filings and do not reflect any view on the merits of the underlying petition.

In November 2025, the Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court’s dismissal of Trump’s libel complaint.

The suit alleged that CNN defamed Trump by repeatedly labeling his challenges to the 2020 election results as the “Big Lie,” a phrase the network and its commentators used extensively in coverage.

Trump has long maintained that CNN’s reporting went from protected opinion to actionable falsehoods that harmed his reputation and business interests.

“This is another example of the media trying to silence the truth,” Trump said in remarks following the Eleventh Circuit decision.

“CNN and others pushed the Big Lie narrative to attack me and the millions of Americans who questioned the election. We’re fighting back in court, and we’re going to keep fighting,” Trump added.

In the latest extension application, Trump’s legal team argued that they needed more time because of the large amount of materials, ongoing related proceedings, and the complexity of preparing a certiorari petition that raises important First Amendment and media liability issues.

The application noted that counsel for Trump faced scheduling conflicts from direct appeals and other high-priority matters.

Justice Thomas, acting as Circuit Justice for the Eleventh Circuit, granted both extensions without comment on the substance of the case.

The underlying dispute traces back to Trump’s 2022 lawsuit in federal court in Florida.

He claimed CNN’s use of the “Big Lie” phrase falsely implied he knowingly spread election misinformation, despite his good-faith belief in widespread irregularities.

The district court dismissed the complaint, finding that the challenged statements were protected opinion or rhetorical hyperbole rather than verifiable false facts.

The Eleventh Circuit agreed in an unpublished per curiam opinion.

Trump has framed the litigation as part of a broader battle against what he calls media bias and censorship.

In numerous rallies, interviews, and social media posts, he has accused CNN and other outlets of colluding with Democrats and the “deep state” to damage his presidency and 2024 campaign.

Critics, including CNN, maintain that the suit is an attempt to chill protected speech and that courts have correctly dismissed it on First Amendment grounds.

The Supreme Court has shown interest in media-related cases in recent terms, though it has not yet indicated whether it will take up Trump’s petition.

If the Court grants certiorari, it would hear the case in full, allowing for briefing and possible oral argument, and could set new precedent on the line between opinion and fact in political coverage.

Trump’s team has indicated it intends to file the petition by the new August 14 deadline.

The petition is expected to argue that the lower courts erred in treating CNN’s “Big Lie” rhetoric as non-actionable opinion and that the case raises important questions about press responsibility and the ability of public figures to defend their reputations.

As the deadline approaches, attention will remain on whether the Supreme Court accepts the case for review.

For now, Justice Thomas’s procedural ruling simply gives the former and current President additional time to make his case at the nation’s highest court.