Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
President Donald Trump announced late Monday that he has filed a sweeping defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, seeking $15 billion in damages and accusing the newspaper of being a “virtual mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party.
The lawsuit, filed in a Tampa federal court, also names Penguin Random House and four Times reporters, two of whom co-authored a book about Trump titled Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success.
“This lawsuit has no merit. It lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting,” the Times said in a statement. “The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics. We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor.”
Trump, however, heralded the case as a “great honor” in a Truth Social post, claiming the newspaper had made false statements about him, his family and his businesses. “The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” he wrote, while pointing to the Times’ endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election as an example of bias.
Legal experts say the lawsuit faces an uphill battle. Under the “actual malice” standard established by the Supreme Court, public figures like Trump must prove that a publication knowingly made false statements or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. “Endorsing another candidate for president is not defamation,” one First Amendment lawyer noted.
The 85-page suit at times reads less like a legal filing and more like a pro-Trump editorial, filled with effusive praise for the president and repeated references to other lawsuits he has filed against major media outlets. Trump’s attorneys highlighted prior settlements he claimed to have won from ABC News and CBS News, though journalism advocacy groups warn that such deals only embolden Trump to continue using the courts to pressure the press.
Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger, speaking just hours before news of the lawsuit broke, warned about what he called the “anti-press playbook” used by “aspiring strongmen” globally — including in the U.S. He said part of the tactic is to “exploit the civil courts to impose financial pressure” on independent journalism.
Trump’s lawsuit against The New York Times adds to a growing list of legal actions against media companies, including The Wall Street Journal, which he is suing over reporting on letters tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Dow Jones, the Journal’s parent company, said it stands by its reporting and “will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
While Trump portrays the lawsuits as an effort to “restore integrity to journalism,” media analysts suggest they are better understood as political theater — intended to rally his supporters, intimidate newsrooms and control the narrative, regardless of whether they succeed in court.
