On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that he will sue The New York Times and four of its journalists for $15 billion in defamation and libel. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and it is directed at the newspaper’s coverage of his 2024 presidential campaign.
The lawsuit focuses on specific articles and a book published during Trump’s campaign. The named defendants include the New York Times Company, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker, and Michael S. Schmidt, as well as publisher Penguin Random House. The lawsuit focuses on Craig and Buettner’s book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, as well as three Times articles published in 2024.
In a Truth Social post announcing the lawsuit, Trump stated that it was a “Great Honor” to file the legal action against “one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the history of our country.” He accused the newspaper of becoming a “virtual’mouthpiece’ for the Radical Left Democrat Party” and claiming it made “the single largest illegal campaign contribution, EVER.” Trump also criticized the Times’ endorsement of Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, calling it “deranged.”
Trump builds on previous media lawsuit victories
The lawsuit comes after Trump reached significant settlements with other news organizations. ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million to Trump’s future presidential foundation in December 2024 to settle a defamation lawsuit. The settlement arose after anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly stated on air that Trump had been found liable for rape, when in fact he had been found liable for sexual abuse in the E. Jean Carroll case.
Earlier this year, Paramount Global agreed to pay $16 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit against CBS News for its 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Trump claimed the program deceptively edited the interview to benefit Harris before the 2024 election. CBS did not issue an apology or express regret as part of the settlement.
Trump currently has another $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, which was filed after the publication reported on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. These legal victories demonstrate Trump’s aggressive approach to news outlets that he claims have unfairly covered him.
The New York Times responds with defiance
The New York Times slammed the lawsuit, saying it “has no merit” and “lacks any legitimate legal claims.” A spokesperson called the lawsuit “an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting” and vowed that the newspaper would not back down. “We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists’ First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people,” according to the statement.
Trump’s lawsuit seeks $15 billion in compensatory damages, as well as unspecified punitive and legal fees. The filing claims the Times has engaged in a “decades-long pattern” of defaming Trump and that the newspaper attempted to “destroy his reputation as a successful businessman” and interfere with the 2024 election. Legal experts point out that public figures like Trump face a high legal standard in defamation cases, which requires them to prove “actual malice” or reckless disregard for the truth.
The aggressive legal strategy reflects Trump’s broader campaign against media outlets that he considers hostile to his administration. With multiple ongoing cases and successful settlements already in place, Trump appears to be using lawsuits as a financial and strategic weapon against news organizations that criticize his presidency.
