CNN Defamation Trial Could Wrap-Up Friday

U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young, the plaintiff in a high-stakes defamation lawsuit against CNN, wrapped up his testimony in dramatic fashion on Thursday when he revealed that he successfully helped at least 22 women escape Afghanistan.

Fox News Digital reports the information came as a surprise to anyone who relies on CNN for news, as Young alleges that CNN smeared 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. 

The CNN report at the heart of the lawsuit first aired on "The Lead with Jake Tapper" in November 2021. It featured claims that CNN found "Afghans trying to get out of the country face a black market full of promises, demands of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success," but Young’s lead counsel Vel Freedman ended his client’s marathon testimony with questions about what the report did not include. 

Young believes CNN "destroyed his reputation and business" by branding him an illegal profiteer who exploited "desperate Afghans." 

The trial resumes on Friday and will be streamed live on Fox News Digital.