CNN Defamation Trial: Army Major General Testifies in Zachary Young Case

PANAMA CITY, Fla. – A U.S. Army major general testified Friday in the defamation trial against CNN, stating he would have hired U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young before a controversial CNN report aired in 2021 but not afterward, citing the segment as making him “too risky.” Young alleges the network smeared his reputation in a November 2021 report, accusing him of illegal profiteering during the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal.

Major Gen. James V. Young, who is not related to the plaintiff, took the stand as the first expert witness in the trial. He testified that Young’s reputation was severely damaged by the CNN segment, which aired on “The Lead with Jake Tapper” and suggested he engaged in “black market” dealings. The report implied Young exploited desperate Afghans trying to flee the country after the U.S. military withdrawal.

Maj. Gen. Young, who holds a security clearance and has extensive military and intelligence experience, said he would have considered Zachary Young “the best of the best” before the CNN report. However, he testified that the segment made him too risky to hire afterward. “I would see someone like this as way too risky for our operation to be associated with,” Maj. Gen. Young said.

CNN’s legal team, led by attorney David Axelrod, challenged Maj. Gen. Young’s testimony, questioning whether he had inquired about Zachary Young’s qualifications with military or intelligence officials before the trial. Maj. Gen. Young admitted he had not but maintained his opinion was based on his professional judgment. Axelrod also pressed the witness on whether he would let a hypothetical 16-year-old girl die in Afghanistan due to his reluctance to hire Young, to which Maj. Gen. Young responded, “We’d try other methods.”

The trial has seen dramatic moments, including courtroom chaos over a document showing Zachary Young renewed his security clearance, which CNN’s legal team argued contradicted his claim of not working since the segment aired. Maj. Gen. Young also defended his practice of deleting messages related to evacuations, a point CNN’s team criticized Zachary Young for doing.

Zachary Young alleges the CNN report destroyed his reputation and business by branding him an illegal profiteer. The segment, led by CNN correspondent Alex Marquardt, is at the center of the defamation case. Marquardt is expected to testify on Monday.

The trial, which is being streamed live, continues to draw attention as both sides present their arguments. Maj. Gen. Young’s testimony highlighted the lasting impact of media reports on individuals’ professional lives, particularly in high-stakes fields like military and intelligence operations.