Trump Sues New York Times and Publisher for $15 Billion
President Donald Trump sues New York Times and reporters. (NewsWeek)
by Kelebogile Matlou
U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times and publisher Penguin Random House, alleging that both entities deliberately defamed him ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
According to Trump’s legal team, the Times damaged his reputation with a series of articles that they claim contained false and libelous information. Among them were reports suggesting that Trump’s former chief of staff, John Kelly, had warned he would rule like a dictator.
Coverage of Trump’s role in developing The Apprentice, and reporting on personal and business controversies. The lawsuit also names several Times reporters, including Peter Baker, Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig, and Michael Schmidt, accusing them of conspiring to smear Trump.
In addition to the Times, Trump’s lawsuit targets Penguin Random House for publishing Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success. Trump’s attorneys argue that the book, released during the 2024 election cycle, was part of a broader campaign to undermine his candidacy and corporate reputation.
The complaint describes The New York Times as a full-throated mouthpiece of the Democratic Party and accuses both the newspaper and the publisher of pushing deliberate lies to weaken political opponents.
“This case is intended to show the American people that deliberate defamation by major media outlets must be stopped. President Trump has fought to restore honesty in the media and will continue to hold biased institutions accountable,” said Trump’s legal tea.
The lawsuit marks another escalation in Trump’s ongoing battle with what he calls the mainstream media, a conflict that has defined much of his political career. Both defendants strongly rejected the claims, a spokeswoman for The New York Times said the complaint was without merit and amounted to an attempt to chill independent journalism.
“We will continue to cover the facts and report on matters of public interest. Attempts to intimidate reporters through litigation will not succeed,” the Times representative said. Penguin Random House also dismissed the suit as meritless declaring that it stands by the book and its authors.
This lawsuit is the latest in a series of massive defamation claims Trump has launched against U.S. media organizations. In July 2025, he filed a $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company Dow Jones, after the paper reported on a letter he allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. Dow Jones has vowed to defend the story.
Legal experts note that Trump faces an uphill battle, as U.S. defamation law sets a high bar for public figures to prove actual malice in reporting. Still, the lawsuits reflect Trump’s continuing efforts to portray himself as a victim of media bias while seeking substantial financial damages.
The litigation comes at a sensitive time for Trump who remains a polarizing figure in American politics even after his defeat in the 2024 election. While his supporters see the lawsuits as a fight against media corruption, critics argue they are politically motivated stunts aimed at silencing press scrutiny.
As the case moves through the courts, it promises to test not only Trump’s legal resilience but also the boundaries of press freedom in the United States.
