Trump Files US$15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times

U.S. President Donald Trump has lodged a US$15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times over defamation claims.

The suit, submitted on September 15 in Florida, accuses the media outlet of a "malicious form of defamation", with this lawsuit also representing one of the largest libel claims in U.S. history, according to AP News.

In his Truth Social post, Trump called the media outlet "one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the history of our country". Trump also claims that the media outlet is a virtual mouthpiece for the radical Left Democrat Party.

The complaint specifically targets The New York Times’ coverage dating back to the 2024 presidential election, including a front-page feature on former Vice President Kamala Harris—an act Trump claims is “UNHEARD OF.”

Beyond that, the suit cites numerous articles and a book published by the outlet, alleging a coordinated effort to falsely malign him and his political party.

"The times has engaged in a decade-long method of lying about your favorite president (himself), my family business, the America First Movement, MAGA, and our nation as a whole. They practiced this longterm INTENT and pattern of abues, which is both unacceptable and illegal."

Trump Steamy Birthday Letter To Epstein

The lawsuit follows closely on the heels of a separate legal threat Trump made against The New York Times over their reporting on a controversial note and sketch he allegedly sent to financier Jeffrey Epstein on his 50th birthday in 2003.

The note even had a suggestively placed signature, which Trump has denies that it was his doing. That dispute prompted a $10 billion lawsuit as reported by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.

Trump’s legal offensives also extend beyond The New York Times. In recent months, he has filed suits against several major media organizations—including ABC News, CBS’s 60 Minutes, Paramount, and Disney—accusing them of disseminating “fake news” designed to “smear” and defame him.

In his statement accompanying the latest lawsuit, Trump expressed pride in holding what he called a “once respected ‘rag’” accountable. “The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” he declared.

As this case unfolds, it adds another chapter to the fraught intersection of media, politics, and free speech in the United States, with significant implications for press freedom and the boundaries of political discourse.