Donald Trump escalates legal war on media with $15 billion defamation suit against New York Times
Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, its reporters, and Penguin Random House, accusing them of publishing falsehoods. The suit escalates Trump’s broader legal offensive against major media outlets during his second term.
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U.S. President Donald Trump has intensified his courtroom battles with the press, filing a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, four of its reporters and publisher Penguin Random House, Reuters reported.
The case, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida on Monday, alleges that the publications knowingly spread “distortions and fabrications” that damaged Trump’s personal and business reputation.
The lawsuit cites multiple New York Times articles, including a pre-2024 election editorial declaring Trump “unfit for office,” as well as Penguin’s 2024 book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success. Trump’s lawyers claim the reporting caused “massive economic damage” to his brand, pointing to falling stock prices at Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) as an example.
This marks the latest in a string of defamation suits Trump has brought during his second term against major media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal for $10 billion and Paramount-owned CBS, which settled earlier this year over a 60 Minutes broadcast. Trump has repeatedly railed against the 1964 New York Times v. Sullivan ruling, which established the “actual malice” standard protecting press freedom, calling it overly protective of journalists.
The New York Times has dismissed the suit as meritless, calling it an intimidation tactic. “We will not be deterred by intimidation,” a spokesperson said, vowing to defend its reporting under the First Amendment. Penguin Random House has yet to respond.
