Trump slaps $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit on NYT

Mohan Sinha
18 Sep 2025, 10:38 GMT+10

U.S. President Donald Trump announced this week that he is filing a US$15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, following the newspaper’s reporting on his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein
The lawsuit comes just days after Trump threatened legal action over the paper’s coverage of a sexually suggestive note and drawing linked to Epstein
He accused the paper of spreading falsehoods about him, his family, his businesses, and Republican-led causes such as the “America First” agenda and “Make America Great Again” movement

WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. President Donald Trump announced this week that he is filing a US$15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, following the newspaper's reporting on his ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The lawsuit comes just days after Trump threatened legal action over the paper's coverage of a sexually suggestive note and drawing linked to Epstein. "Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against the New York Times," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

He accused the paper of spreading falsehoods about him, his family, his businesses, and Republican-led causes such as the "America First" agenda and "Make America Great Again" movement. Trump also criticized the NYT for endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, calling it a "mouthpiece" for Democrats.

Trump said the lawsuit was being filed in Florida, though details remain limited. Reuters confirmed a court filing indicating the case had been lodged.

The president cited previous defamation settlements, including $15 million from ABC News and anchor George Stephanopoulos, and $16 million from Paramount over a 60 Minutes interview with Harris. The New York Times has not yet commented.