Trump Sues NY Times For $15B

President Donald Trump Monday announced and filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times (NYT), four of its journalists, and publisher Penguin Random House. 

The suit was filed in a Florida court, where Trump resides, and accuses the defendants of engaging in a "decades-long pattern of intentional and malicious defamation" against him, his family, his businesses, and his political movement. 

Trump described the NYT as "one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country" and a "virtual mouthpiece" for the Democratic Party, claiming it has "freely lie[d], smear[ed], and defame[d]" him for too long.

The lawsuit seeks at least $15 billion in damages, citing reputational harm that allegedly led to a decline in the stock price of Trump Media and Technology Group (the parent company of Truth Social). 

Trump celebrated the filing in a post on his Truth Social platform, stating: "Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times... The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!"

The core of the complaint revolves around several NYT publications that Trump claims were false, malicious, and defamatory:

• Articles and a book on Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein: The suit highlights recent NYT reporting on a sexually suggestive note and drawing allegedly given by Trump to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. This item, which appears to be signed by Trump, was part of files from Epstein's estate released to a Congressional committee. Trump has denied the authenticity and context of the note, insisting he parted ways with Epstein before his legal troubles surfaced in 2006. The lawsuit alleges the NYT published these stories "negligently, with knowledge of the falsity... and/or with reckless disregard of their truth or falsity."
• Broader "campaign of lies": Trump accuses the NYT of a long-term pattern of biased coverage, including three specific articles from the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election that he says were "false, malicious, defamatory, and disparaging." He also points to the NYT's front-page endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 as "UNHEARD OF!" and evidence of partisan bias.
• Other examples: The filing references a decline in his company's stock value as direct evidence of harm caused by the reporting.

The complaint argues that these statements damaged Trump's personal and business reputation, with the defendants acting in a way that meets the high legal standard for defamation (actual malice, given Trump's status as a public figure).