President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of serving as a “virtual mouthpiece” for Democrats and engaging in a “decades long method of lying” about him, his family, and his companies.
Trump announced the lawsuit on Truth Social, writing:
“Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times, one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country, becoming a virtual ‘mouthpiece’ for the Radical Left Democrat Party. I view it as the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER.” He also cited the Times’ endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 as evidence of bias, calling it “something heretofore UNHEARD OF!”
“The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” Trump continued. He compared the filing to previous settlements with ABC News and CBS News, describing them as “successful litigation” over false reporting. In recent months, both networks agreed to multimillion-dollar settlements to resolve Trump-related lawsuits.
Trump’s post echoed language from an 85-page filing obtained by CNN, which also named Penguin Random House and four Times reporters, two of whom co-authored “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success.” The lawsuit, which will be filed in Florida federal court, seeks damages greater than The New York Times Company’s entire market capitalization.
CNN consulted with legal experts, who emphasized the difficulty Trump will face in proving defamation. Public figures must demonstrate “actual malice,” which means the defendants knew a statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for its truth. The Times has repeatedly rejected Trump’s threats of legal action and did not immediately respond to the filing.
Hours before the lawsuit was made public, Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger warned against a “anti-press playbook” in which leaders “exploit the civil courts to impose financial pressure” and “punish independent journalists.”
