CNN Ordered to Pay $5 Million for Defaming Navy Veteran Zachary Young in Afghan Evacuation Report

Jan 17, 2025, 06:26 PM

A Florida jury has found CNN liable for defaming U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young in a 2021 report about Afghan evacuations aired on Jake Tapper's show, ordering the network to pay $5 million in compensatory damages. The jury concluded that CNN falsely portrayed Young as an illegal profiteer who charged thousands of dollars to evacuate people from Afghanistan following the U.S. military withdrawal. The verdict came after more than eight hours of deliberation, with the jury, presided over by Judge William Henry, also deciding that punitive damages were warranted. Before the jury could determine the amount of punitive damages, CNN reached an undisclosed settlement with Young, ending the trial. The case has brought scrutiny to CNN's reporting practices and revealed that the network's revenue has declined by $400 million over the past three years.