Trump Sues The New York Times for $15 Billion, Calls It 'one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the history of our country'
In a late-night post, President Donald Trump announced that he is suing The New York Times for $15 billion, alleging defamation and libel. He described the newspaper as 'one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the history of our country,' called the filing a 'great honor,' and accused the paper of becoming a 'virtual mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party.' The move comes as NYT published articles linking him to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and after Trump had threatened to sue over reporting about a sexually suggestive note and drawing said to have been given to Epstein decades ago.
In This Article:
Triggering events: Epstein links, threats and Florida filing
The suit follows articles in The New York Times detailing Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump had threatened last week to sue over reporting related to a sexually suggestive note and drawing said to have been given to Epstein decades ago. The suit will be brought in Florida, where Trump often resides at Mar-a-Lago.
Media battles as a pattern: lawsuits against networks
Trump says this is part of a wider fight with the media, pointing to prior legal actions against George Slopadopoulos/ABC/Disney and against 60 Minutes/CBS/Paramount. He claims those networks 'knew they were falsely smearing me through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration,' and that they settled for large sums. He describes this pattern as 'unacceptable and illegal' and says The New York Times has been allowed to lie and smear him for too long.
Editorial endorsements and Trump's counterclaims
The Times editorial board endorsed Kamala Harris on Sept. 30, calling Trump 'morally unfit' and 'temperamentally unfit' for the presidency and presenting Harris as the patriotic choice. Trump responded by reiterating his suit and alleging that The Times is a partisan tool in the 'radical left' lineup, even claiming the endorsement was placed 'dead center' on the front page. He repeated that he believes The Times' coverage is a deliberate political weapon against him and his movement.
What happens next and the broader context
The Florida filing marks the latest phase in a long-running media legal saga surrounding Trump and major outlets. Earlier this year, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch in July over allegations about a birthday note to Epstein that he denies writing. Paramount recently settled with Trump for $16 million after he accused the network of deceptively editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris to make her appear better. These cases raise questions about truth, accountability, and power in media and politics as personalities collide with the courtroom.
