Trump Sues The New York Times for $15 Billion, Escalating War on Media

Former President Donald Trump has launched a new and unprecedented legal offensive — this time targeting one of the most powerful names in American journalism. On Monday night, Trump announced on Truth Social that he is bringing a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the paper of waging a yearslong smear campaign against him, his family, and the MAGA movement.

The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Florida’s Middle District, names The New York Times Company, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker, Michael S. Schmidt, and publisher Penguin Random House as defendants. The complaint also takes aim at the book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, written by Craig and Buettner, calling it “false and defamatory.”

Trump’s Explosive Announcement

“Today, I have the great honor of bringing a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the history of our country,” Trump wrote in his late-night Truth Social post.

He accused the Times of acting as “a virtual mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party” and said its 2024 endorsement of Kamala Harris was the “single largest illegal campaign contribution ever,” pointing out that the paper placed its endorsement front and center on its front page — a move he called “heretofore unheard of.”

Trump framed the lawsuit not only as a personal battle but as a larger fight for the integrity of American democracy. He argued that The New York Times has engaged in decades of “lying” about him, deliberately trying to sway elections and damage his reputation.

“This is about more than me,” Trump wrote. “It’s about stopping the persistent election interference from legacy media outlets that think they can decide who runs the country. That stops now.”

A Pattern of Legal Battles

This lawsuit marks the latest in a growing list of legal actions Trump has taken against major media organizations. Over the past year, he successfully extracted eight-figure settlements from ABC News and CBS News, both of which he accused of defamation and misleading reporting.

In December 2024, ABC reportedly agreed to pay $15 million — structured as a charitable contribution to a future Trump presidential library or foundation — to settle claims that anchor George Stephanopoulos had falsely stated on-air that Trump had been found “liable for rape” rather than sexual abuse in the E. Jean Carroll case.

Just months later, CBS parent company Paramount chose to settle a separate lawsuit brought by Trump over the network’s 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Trump argued the interview was deceptively edited to mislead voters ahead of the 2024 election. The settlement amount, according to reports, may exceed $30 million and came just weeks before Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.

For Trump’s supporters, these victories were proof that their candidate was finally holding “Fake News” outlets accountable. For critics, they raised alarms about the chilling effect such lawsuits could have on press freedom.

The New York Times Fires Back

On Tuesday morning, The New York Times issued a statement dismissing Trump’s claims as meritless and politically motivated.

“This lawsuit has no merit,” a spokesperson for the Times said. “It lacks any legitimate legal claims and is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting. 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.”

President Trump has filed a lawsuit against The New York Times. Read our statement and reporting on the suit below. pic.twitter.com/PZLRNBpexi

— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) September 16, 2025

The paper’s editorial board, which endorsed Kamala Harris in 2024, has long been critical of Trump. In its endorsement, the board wrote:

“It is hard to imagine a candidate more unworthy to serve as president of the United States than Donald Trump. He has proved himself morally unfit for an office that asks its occupant to put the good of the nation above self-interest.”

Trump’s lawsuit calls the endorsement “deranged” and argues that it crossed the line from opinion journalism into coordinated electioneering.

Inside the 85-Page Complaint

The filing is a sweeping document that mixes legal claims with praise for Trump’s career. It highlights what it calls Trump’s “decades of magnificent real estate achievements” and describes his success as a television icon with The Apprentice:

“Thanks solely to President Trump’s sui generis charisma and unique business acumen, The Apprentice generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, and remained on television for over thirteen years, with nearly 200 episodes. The Apprentice represented the cultural magnitude of President Trump’s singular brilliance, which captured the zeitgeist of our time.”

The lawsuit also points to what it describes as a coordinated effort by “legacy media” to interfere in multiple election cycles, arguing that millions of Americans saw through the media narrative and voted for Trump anyway.

Free Speech or Political Weapon?

Legal experts say Trump faces an uphill battle in court. U.S. defamation law requires public figures like Trump to prove that a media outlet acted with “actual malice” — knowingly publishing false information or showing reckless disregard for the truth.

“This is a very high legal bar to clear,” said one First Amendment attorney. “Most of these cases fail, because courts are reluctant to punish the press for reporting on matters of public concern.”

Still, Trump’s allies argue that the lawsuit is about accountability, not censorship. They say The New York Times and other outlets have abused their power for too long and must face consequences.

A Deepening Divide

The case comes at a moment of deep polarization in American politics and media. Trust in traditional journalism has hit record lows, particularly among conservatives. Many on the right see Trump’s legal crusade as part of a broader populist effort to challenge elite institutions — from newsrooms to social media platforms — that they believe are aligned against them.

On the other side, media advocates and civil liberties groups warn that a wave of massive defamation suits could discourage aggressive reporting and undermine the press’s watchdog role.

What Comes Next

The lawsuit will now move through the federal court system in Florida. If the case proceeds, it could lead to discovery — forcing The New York Times to turn over internal communications and editorial deliberations, which might shed light on how the paper covered Trump during and after his presidency.

Whether or not the lawsuit succeeds, it is clear that Trump intends to keep up the fight. As he put it in his closing statement:

“The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops now. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

With the 2028 presidential race already underway, the legal battle between Trump and The New York Times could become yet another flashpoint in America’s ongoing clash over truth, media power, and democracy itself.