Trump Files $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against NYT, Penguin Random House
Trump Files $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against NYT, Penguin Random House
President Donald Trump has initiated a massive $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and publisher Penguin Random House, alleging a deliberate campaign to tarnish his reputation and obstruct his prospects in the 2024 election. The legal action, filed in the Middle District of Florida, names The New York Times, along with reporters Peter Baker, Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig, and Michael Schmidt, as defendants. Penguin Random House is also included due to its publication of “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,” a book co-authored by Craig and Buettner.
Trump’s legal team contends that The New York Times has transformed into a “leading, and unapologetic, purveyor of falsehoods” and a “fullthroated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party,” engaging in “industrial-scale defamation.” The lawsuit specifically references articles detailing warnings from former chief of staff John Kelly, the production of “The Apprentice,” and various controversies, asserting these reports constituted libel.
Both targeted organizations have vehemently denied the allegations. A spokesperson for The New York Times declared the lawsuit “lacks any legitimate legal claims” and represents “an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting.” The Times affirmed it “will not be deterred by intimidation tactics” and will “stand up for journalists’ First Amendment right.” Likewise, a Penguin Random House spokesperson labeled it a “meritless lawsuit,” stating the publisher “stands by the book and its authors” and “will continue to uphold the values of the First Amendment.”
This significant legal move comes on the heels of another $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed in July against The Wall Street Journal concerning a report about a letter allegedly sent to Jeffery Epstein.
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