Donald Trump announced a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times on Monday night. The US president filed the legal action in Florida state court, calling the newspaper "one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country".
Trump made the announcement via his Truth Social platform in a lengthy post. He accused the outlet of being "allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long".
Political bias allegations
The lawsuit centres on Trump's claims of systematic bias against his administration and the MAGA movement. He specifically cited the newspaper's endorsement of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election as evidence of partisan coverage.
Trump highlighted how the Harris endorsement was placed on the front page, which he called unprecedented political favouritism. The president argued this demonstrated bias in the newspaper's editorial stance.
Epstein reporting trigger
The legal action follows recent New York Times articles about alleged notes and drawings Trump sent to Jeffrey Epstein. The reporting included claims about a birthday message Trump allegedly sent to the convicted sex offender for his 50th birthday in 2003.
Congressional committee files from Epstein's estate contained the disputed materials, including hand-drawings and pictures with Trump's alleged signature. Trump has maintained the handwriting and signature do not match his own and dismissed the reporting as false.
Legal precedent context
BBC reports that Trump has previously failed in similar lawsuits against media outlets, with cases dismissed on constitutional grounds. However, recent settlements with ABC for $15 million and Paramount for $16 million may have emboldened his litigation strategy, according to The Guardian.
The $15 billion amount represents one of the largest defamation claims in recent US legal history. Constitutional law experts note that public figures face high legal barriers when suing media organisations under First Amendment protections.
Media response
A New York Times spokeswoman defended the newspaper's reporting when Trump first threatened legal action last week. She said: "Our journalists reported the facts, provided the visual evidence and printed the president's denial."
The spokeswoman added: "We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favour and stand up for journalists' First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people."
Sources used: "Sky News", "Daily Mail", "BBC", "The Guardian"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
