President Donald Trump called reporting by The New York Times on the war against Iran “treasonous” and said he would add the report to his lawsuit against the newspaper.
“The way the Corrupt and Failing New York Times is covering stories on a very battered and beat up Iran, through FAKE & MADE UP ‘FACTS’ is, in my opinion, ‘TREASONOUS,’” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday night.
“I will be adding all of their false and ridiculous reporting to my multi Billion Dollar lawsuit against them. They are Criminals!”
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Trump, who has repeatedly clashed with reporters and news outlets since returning to office last year, filed a $15 billion lawsuit for defamation against the Times in September last year, but a judge tossed it out days later, saying the 85-page complaint was full of “tedious and burdensome” language that had no bearing on the legal case.
He then filed an amended 40-page complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in October, which named the newspaper, publisher Penguin Random House, investigative reporters Suzanne Craig and Russ Buettner and the newspaper’s chief White House correspondent, Peter Baker, as defendants.
Trump’s new remarks came after he criticized a Times analysis suggesting months of conflict had changed little strategically, while Trump claimed Iran’s military and economy had been severely damaged. The Times has previously said Trump’s lawsuit is without merit and an attempt to stifle independent reporting.
In another post earlier on Sunday, the president hit out at an article published by the paper that day with the headline ‘What Changed After Almost 4 Months of War? Analysts Say Not Much.’
“REALLY? Their Military is DONE, their Navy is GONE, their Air Force is GONE, their Launching Pads, Missiles, Drones and Manufacturing of same, is almost GONE, their top two sets of Leaders are GONE, their Inflation is at 250%, their Economy is BROKEN, their Soldiers aren’t being paid, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN, THE OIL IS GUSHING, and the U.S. Stock Market and Jobs are at record HIGHS,” Trump wrote.
“That’s what’s CHANGED, you corrupt and unethical cowards, and MORE!!!.”
Newsweek contacted attorneys for Trump and the New York Times via email outside of regular office hours on Monday.
Trump has previously filed suits against ABC News and CBS News’ 60 Minutes, both of which were settled out of court by the news organizations’ parent companies.
Trump also filed a lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, after the newspaper published a story reporting on his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
This is a developing story. More to follow.