Trump sues New York Times for $15B, alleging defamation

SUMMARY

• Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit in Florida court
• Lawsuit targets The New York Times and four journalists
• Claims articles and book defamed him before 2024 election
• Trump also sued Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch

President Donald Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists on Sept. 15, according to court documents.

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Florida names several articles and one book written by two of the publication’s journalists and published in the lead up to the 2024 election, saying they are “part of a decades-long pattern by the New York Times of intentional and malicious defamation against President Trump.”

“Defendants published such statements negligently, with knowledge of the falsity of the statements, and/or with reckless disregard of their truth or falsity,” the lawsuit says.

The Times did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

In a Truth Social post announcing the lawsuit, Trump accused The Times of lying about him and defaming him, saying it has become “a virtual ‘mouthpiece’ for the Radical Left Democrat Party.”