CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt continues to maintain a heavy presence on his network’s airwaves even after his reporting cost the company millions as a result of a defamation trial.
Marquardt made at least four on-air appearances in the first week after a Bay County, Florida jury found that his report from November 2021 had defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young and ruled that Young could seek punitive damages.
CNN and Young agreed to an undisclosed settlement before the jury had a chance to determine punitive damages. The jury had awarded Young $5 million in financial and emotional damages before the settlement was reached.
«Alex is on our air because he is an experienced, veteran reporter with valuable insights on the news,» a spokesperson for CNN told Fox News Digital.
JURY FINDS CNN COMMITTED DEFAMATION AGAINST NAVY VETERAN, SETTLEMENT REACHED ON PUNITIVE DAMAGES
CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt has appeared on air at least four times after his reporting resulted in the network losing a defamation lawsuit brought by U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young. (Fox News Digital/Law & Crime)
In a post-trial interview, Young said he hadn’t forgiven Marquardt, calling him out for remaining defiant on the witness stand at the trial earlier this month.
«We’ve given Mr. Marquardt, you know, plenty of opportunities during deposition and then again at trial to apologize. And, you know, the answer was no,» Young told Fox News Digital. «He still stands behind his work. He’s very proud of what he did. His hit piece on me to destroy my life.»
«He’s not my biggest fan,» Young added.
On the witness stand, Marquardt insisted his report was not a «hit piece» on Young and that he was proud of his work.
«I wasn’t looking to take anyone down. I didn’t take anyone down,» Marquardt testified.
U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young says he doesn’t forgive Marquardt after winning a defamation lawsuit against CNN. (Joseph A. Wulfsohn/Fox News Digital; Jessica Costescu )
CNN DEFAMATION TRIAL: PLAINTIFF ACCUSES NETWORK OF FAKING CRITICAL PHONE CALL FOR ‘THEATER’
Following the trial, a spokesperson for CNN said in a statement, «We remain proud of our journalists and are 100% committed to strong, fearless and fair-minded reporting at CNN, though we will of course take what useful lessons we can from this case.»
Young accused CNN of smearing him by implying he illegally profited when helping people flee Afghanistan on the «black market» during the Biden administration’s military withdrawal from the country in 2021. Young believed CNN «destroyed his reputation and business» by branding him an illegal profiteer who exploited «desperate Afghans» during the November 2021 segment.
Young’s legal team obtained damning CNN internal messages through discovery showing staffers expressing overt hostility towards the Navy veteran. Among those presented to the jury include one calling him a «s—bag,» an «a–hole,» and one saying he has a «punchable face.»
It was also revealed that Marquardt told a colleague «we’re gonna nail this Zachary Young mf—er,» a message often cited throughout the trial.
CNN DEFAMATION TRIAL: LOSING CASE EXPECTED BUT STILL A BAD BRUISE FOR THE NETWORK, INSIDER SAYS
CNN host Jake Tapper and correspondent Alex Marquardt during the 2021 segment that was at the center of Zachary Young’s defamation case. (CNN/Screenshot)
The jury’s decision that CNN defamed Young has not sidelined Marquardt.
On Jan. 21, Marquardt made three on-air appearances to discuss Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s confirmation and a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Afghanistan’s Taliban.
Marquardt also appeared on «CNN Newsroom with Pamela Brown» on Jan. 23 to preview President Donald Trump’s address to world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
Marquardt also penned a lengthy print piece for CNN’s website last week.
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CNN promoted Marquardt in 2023 to chief national security correspondent, an elevation from senior national security correspondent, but jurors weren’t privy to that information. CNN successfully moved to keep his promotion and pay raise out of the trial despite the plaintiff’s legal team arguing that promoting a reporter accused of defamation «goes directly to the entitlement of punitive damages.»
CNN senior reporter Katie Bo Lillis, who was also at the center of the defamation trial after being accused of «misleading» the plaintiff when collaborating with Marquardt on the story, has written at least four stories for CNN’s website since the trial wrapped up.
