US President Donald Trump announced he will sue the New York Times for 15 billion dollars over what he calls defamation and libel.
Trump declared on his platform Truth Social that the newspaper has lied and smeared him for too long and that this will now stop.
Criticism over Kamala Harris endorsement
The president condemned the Times for endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. He accused the paper of acting as a mouthpiece for the Democratic Party.
Trump said his lawsuit will be filed in Florida, a Republican stronghold. The New York Times has not yet commented on the announcement.
Frustration with hostile media
Trump has frequently criticized media outlets he views as unfriendly to his presidency. Late Monday, he highlighted the Times’ front-page endorsement of his rival, calling it unprecedented.
He also accused media and television programs of smearing him using manipulated documents and altered images.
Settlements with major networks
Trump recently secured multimillion-dollar settlements from ABC News and CBS News after filing lawsuits.
He has also filed a case against the Wall Street Journal over its reporting on the Epstein scandal.
Previous legal battles with the Times
This is not Trump’s first attempt to sue the New York Times. In 2023, a judge dismissed a lawsuit he filed as former president, ruling the claims failed under constitutional law.
The 100 million dollar lawsuit, filed in 2021, accused the paper and Trump’s niece Mary Trump of plotting to obtain his tax records. It related to a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation into his finances.
Earlier defamation case dismissed
Trump also lost another defamation case in 2023. He tried to sue a major broadcaster for comparing him to Adolf Hitler, but a federal judge rejected the 475 million dollar claim.
This latest lawsuit adds to Trump’s ongoing legal battles with the press.
