Trump sues the New York Times for $15B in defamation case

President Donald Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against the New York Times late Sept. 15, accusing the Times and four of its reporters of defamation and libel. 

Trump announced the lawsuit in a Truth Social post, calling the Times “one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country” and accusing it of “becoming a virtual ‘mouthpiece’ for the Radical Left Democrat Party.”

He also criticized the newspaper for endorsing former Vice President Kamala Harris in September 2024 ahead of the presidential election.

“Their Endorsement of Kamala Harris was actually put dead center on the front page of The New York Times, something heretofore UNHEARD OF!” Trump wrote. “The ‘Times’ has engaged in a decades long method of lying about your Favorite President (ME!), my family, business, the America First Movement, MAGA, and our Nation as a whole.”

The complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, cites several Times articles, the Harris endorsement, and "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success," a book written by Times reporters Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner and published by Penguin Random House. Trump also named Craig, Buettner, and fellow Times reporters Peter Baker and Michael S. Schmidt as defendants.

According to court documents, Trump’s attorneys argued the reporting fits a “decades-long pattern” of “intentional and malicious defamation against” the President. 

They said the book and articles “recklessly disregard the truth that the President’s fortune was developed through business genius, creativity, perseverance, talent, authenticity and other unique traits,” rather than by “luck,” “twisting the rules,” or “reliance on government programs.” 

The Times pushed back in a Sept. 16 statement posted to its communications account on X, arguing the suit “has no merit.” 

“It lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting,” the statement read. “The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics. 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.” 

The suit follows other recent legal actions by Trump against major media outlets. In July, CBS News reached a legal settlement with him and agreed to pay him more than $16 million after he accused the network of manipulating a 2024 interview with Kamala Harris.