US President Donald Trump announced Monday that he has filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the paper of spreading falsehoods about him and his political movement.
“The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops NOW!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, adding that the case was filed in Florida.
The Times has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit.
Trump described the newspaper as a “mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party and alleged it lied about his family, business dealings, and the “America First” movement. He did not provide evidence for these claims.
The move follows a report last week in which the Times said Trump had threatened legal action over its coverage of a lewd birthday note allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump has denied writing the note.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has escalated his confrontations with traditional media outlets. He has restricted access to critical journalists and filed a series of lawsuits against major publishers.
In July, he sued Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over an article about his ties to Epstein.
That same month, Paramount paid $16 million to settle a lawsuit Trump brought against CBS News’ 60 Minutes. He had accused the program of manipulating an interview to favor his 2024 election rival, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The latest action against the Times adds to Trump’s growing list of legal battles with the media, as he continues to challenge coverage he describes as biased and damaging.
