President Trump Files $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times
President Trump Files $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times
President Donald Trump announced Monday he is initiating a substantial $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times. Trump accuses the prominent news organization of operating as a “virtual mouthpiece” for the Democrat party and engaging in a sustained campaign of false and malicious reporting.
The lawsuit, filed in a Tampa federal court, stems from Trump’s recent threats against The Times following their publication of articles related to a sexually suggestive note and drawing. This note, reportedly given to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003, appears to bear Trump’s signature, an involvement Trump and his aides have consistently denied.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, the President stated, “Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times.” He further asserted, “The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” Trump also highlighted the Times’ endorsement of Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election as an example of their alleged bias.
Trump’s legal counsel argues that The Times has pursued a “deliberate pattern of false, malicious, defamatory, and disparaging” reporting, specifically aimed at undermining his presidential campaign and legacy. The complaint references prior legal successes by Trump against other major media outlets, including Disney’s ABC News and Paramount Global’s CBS News, which reportedly resulted in multimillion-dollar payouts and public acknowledgments of reporting inaccuracies.
The filing also mentions a July lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its reporters over a story concerning letters gifted to Epstein. In that instance, a spokesperson for Dow Jones, the Journal’s parent company, affirmed confidence in their reporting. In this latest action, Trump’s lawyers are seeking at least $15 billion in damages, asserting that the “reputational injury inflicted in this case reaches billions of dollars.” This legal challenge is part of Trump’s stated broader effort to “restore integrity to journalism.”
This remains a developing story.
Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.