Trump Files $15B Defamation Lawsuit Against NYT Over Election Articles Ahead of 2024

In a significant legal development, President Donald Trump has initiated a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists, as detailed in court documents filed in U.S. District Court, Florida. The lawsuit alleges that several articles and one book published by the journalists, primarily ahead of the 2024 election, constitute part of a long-standing pattern of deliberate and damaging defamation against President Trump by The New York Times.

The lawsuit asserts that the defendants knowingly or recklessly disseminated false statements, and it accuses them of having acted with malicious intent or reckless disregard for the truth or falsity of their statements. The New York Times has yet to respond to an email requesting comment as of early Tuesday.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump accused The New York Times of fabricating information about him and damaging his reputation, stating that it has evolved into a de facto mouthpiece for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing.

Previously, President Trump had also targeted other media outlets, such as filing a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media magnate Rupert Murdoch in July, following a story published by the newspaper reporting on his connections to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.