US President Donald Trump has announced plans to sue the New York Times for a staggering $15 billion (£11bn), claiming defamation and libel. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump asserted, The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW! His frustration stems partly from the Times' endorsement of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, which he described as a move that turned the paper into a mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party.
Trump stated that the lawsuit would be filed in Florida, a state known for its strong Republican presence. The New York Times has not yet issued a comment on the matter. The former president has previously voiced his discontent with what he perceives as biased coverage from left-wing media outlets.
He criticized the Times for its prominent placement of Harris's endorsement, claiming it was unprecedented for the newspaper. In addition, Trump alleged that other media platforms have engaged in smearing him through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration.
This isn't Trump's first legal tussle with the New York Times. In 2023, a judge dismissed a previous lawsuit he filed, which accused the paper and his niece, Mary Trump, of conspiring to obtain his tax records. His earlier lawsuit sought $100 million and was tied to a Pulitzer Prize-winning series covering Trump's financial dealings.
Trump has faced multiple legal challenges and lawsuits, including a failed defamation suit against CNN in which he sought $475 million after the network compared him to Adolf Hitler. A federal judge threw out that case as well. With this latest move against the New York Times, Trump continues his pursuit of legal redress in what he views as a long-standing grievance against the media.
Trump stated that the lawsuit would be filed in Florida, a state known for its strong Republican presence. The New York Times has not yet issued a comment on the matter. The former president has previously voiced his discontent with what he perceives as biased coverage from left-wing media outlets.
He criticized the Times for its prominent placement of Harris's endorsement, claiming it was unprecedented for the newspaper. In addition, Trump alleged that other media platforms have engaged in smearing him through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration.
This isn't Trump's first legal tussle with the New York Times. In 2023, a judge dismissed a previous lawsuit he filed, which accused the paper and his niece, Mary Trump, of conspiring to obtain his tax records. His earlier lawsuit sought $100 million and was tied to a Pulitzer Prize-winning series covering Trump's financial dealings.
Trump has faced multiple legal challenges and lawsuits, including a failed defamation suit against CNN in which he sought $475 million after the network compared him to Adolf Hitler. A federal judge threw out that case as well. With this latest move against the New York Times, Trump continues his pursuit of legal redress in what he views as a long-standing grievance against the media.
