Trump files $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times

Key Points

• Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four journalists, alleging malicious defamation as part of a long-term pattern.
• The lawsuit claims the defendants published statements with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth.
• Trump's announcement on Truth Social criticized The New York Times, accusing it of becoming a "mouthpiece" for the Radical Left Democrat Party.
• This lawsuit follows Trump's previous legal action against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch for a reported $10 billion, reflecting his ongoing conflict with media outlets.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists on Monday, 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 New York Times did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment early Tuesday.

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

Trump has gone after other media outlets, including filing a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch in July after the newspaper published a story reporting on his ties to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.