President Donald Trump has formally filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the prominent media outlet, The New York Times.
This legal action comes after Donald Trump, who recently dominated headlines due to false death reports circulating online, claimed that The New York Times defamed him. According to the lawsuit, Trump alleges that the newspaper acted as a ‘mouthpiece’ for the Democratic Party during the 2024 presidential election, spreading false narratives to undermine his campaign and public image.
Details of the $15B Defamation Lawsuit
Filed on September 15, 2025, the lawsuit accuses The New York Times of engaging in what Trump describes as ‘industrial scale libel.’ The former president criticizes the newspaper for repeatedly publishing false and misleading information aimed at damaging his personal and professional reputation. Trump claims that these actions are part of a decades-long campaign by certain media outlets to systematically defame him for political gain.
In the lawsuit, Trump specifically highlights coverage that allegedly distorted his tenure on the reality TV show, The Apprentice, suggesting that The New York Times manipulated stories to sway public perception during his 2024 re-election campaign. The suit contends that the newspaper knowingly ignored journalistic ethics, prioritizing political narratives over factual reporting, to benefit the Democratic Party at his expense.
Trump’s Demand for $15 Billion in Damages
Donald Trump is seeking $15 billion in compensatory damages, asserting that The New York Times’ reporting has caused extensive harm to his reputation, brand, and business ventures. In addition to the compensatory damages, Trump is requesting punitive damages to be determined at trial, along with coverage of legal fees incurred throughout the litigation process.
This is not the first time Donald Trump has pursued high-profile defamation claims. He previously filed a lawsuit against ABC News and George Stephanopoulos, which resulted in a $15 million settlement. He also sued Paramount over a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris, which was settled for $16 million. Additionally, Trump filed a similar lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, demanding $15 billion in damages over alleged defamation.
Trump’s current lawsuit claims that The New York Times has engaged in a ‘decades-long pattern’ of publishing false, misleading, and malicious articles about him, driven by ‘actual malice.’ The suit alleges that these publications have caused irreparable harm to his reputation, financial interests, and overall public perception, further fueling a narrative that Trump argues is politically motivated and factually incorrect.
Through this lawsuit, Donald Trump aims to hold The New York Times accountable for its reporting, seeking substantial financial restitution as well as public acknowledgment of the alleged defamation. The case is expected to draw significant attention in both legal and media circles, given Trump’s high-profile status and the scale of the damages claimed.