President Trump announced late Monday that he has filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the paper of serving as a “mouthpiece” for Democrats and engaging in decades of false reporting.
Trump called the suit the “Great Honor” of holding the outlet accountable, claiming the Times’ endorsement of Kamala Harris amounted to the largest illegal campaign contribution in history. He noted the endorsement was given front-page placement, “something heretofore unheard of.”
In his statement, Trump accused the paper of a longstanding pattern of lying about him, his family, his business, and the America First movement. He likened the case to past legal battles against media outlets, citing prior settlements with networks such as ABC, Disney, and CBS over allegations of fabricated and altered material.
Trump argued that the Times’ conduct amounted to intentional and malicious defamation, saying the paper has been permitted to “freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long.” The suit was filed in Florida, where Trump vowed the effort would put an end to unacceptable and illegal media abuse.
“Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump concluded. “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
