A legal battle between President Donald Trump and members of the Pulitzer Prize Board is escalating, with new court filings showing additional figures will be questioned under oath.
According to court records, former Associated Press executive editor Kathleen Carroll and current board member Kevin Merida are scheduled to sit for video depositions later this month. Carroll is set to testify on April 15, followed by Merida on April 21.
Discovery Effort Expands
The depositions are part of Trump’s broader effort to gather evidence in his lawsuit against the board. He argues that the board failed to uphold its standards when it declined to rescind 2018 Pulitzer Prizes awarded to reporting by The New York Times and The Washington Post on the Russia investigation.
Trump’s legal team is seeking internal communications and records they believe could show bias or improper decision-making by the board.
Focus on Russia Investigation Reporting
At the center of the dispute is coverage related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
The reporting included topics such as former Trump adviser Michael Flynn, the Steele dossier, former FBI Director James Comey, and a 2016 Trump Tower meeting involving Donald Trump Jr..
Trump has long argued that the investigation and related reporting were part of what he calls a “collusion hoax,” while official findings documented numerous links between Russian actors and his campaign, though not a criminal conspiracy.
Additional Depositions and Document Requests
The latest notices follow earlier legal moves, including Trump’s attempt to obtain documents from David Remnick, a Pulitzer board member.
His legal team has sought details about Remnick’s communications with Fusion GPS, the research firm behind the Steele dossier, as well as meetings involving its co-founders.
Trump has also previously forced testimony from Stephen J. Adler, an independent reviewer whose findings supported keeping the Pulitzer awards in place.
Board Pushes Back
The Pulitzer Board has defended its actions, stating it conducted independent reviews and found no reason to revoke the awards.
In a 2022 statement, the board said the reporting had not been discredited and that the prizes should stand.
The board has also pursued its own discovery requests, seeking documents from Trump, including tax records and other personal information, as part of its defense.
Ongoing Legal Fight
The case continues to move forward in Florida court, with both sides aggressively pursuing evidence.
At stake is Trump’s claim that the board’s refusal to rescind the awards amounted to defamation, while the board argues it is being targeted for standing by its review process and editorial independence.
As depositions continue, the legal battle is expected to further examine the intersection of politics, media, and one of journalism’s most prestigious institutions.
