{"id":14588,"date":"2025-10-24T03:53:39","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T03:53:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/14588\/"},"modified":"2025-10-24T03:53:39","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T03:53:39","slug":"trump-sues-the-new-york-times-for-defamation-seeks-15-billion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/14588\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump sues The New York Times for defamation, seeks $15 billion"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 President Donald Trump<\/a> has added The New York Times to the list of media companies he\u2019s challenged in court, filing a $15 billion defamation lawsuit that targets four of its journalists in a book and three articles published within a two-month period before the last election.<\/p>\n

In a Truth Social post announcing the lawsuit early Tuesday, Trump called the Times \u201cone of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the nation\u2019s history\u201d and a virtual mouthpiece for Democrats. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Florida.<\/p>\n

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FILE- A police officer stands guard outside The New York Times building in New York, on June 28, 2018. (AP Photo\/Mary Altaffer, File)<\/p>\n

FILE- A police officer stands guard outside The New York Times building in New York, on June 28, 2018. (AP Photo\/Mary Altaffer, File)<\/p>\n

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The Times called the lawsuit meritless and an attempt to discourage independent reporting. \u201cThe New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics,\u201d spokesman Charlie Stadtlander said.<\/p>\n

It follows lawsuits Trump has filed against ABC News<\/a> and CBS News\u2019 \u201c60 Minutes,\u201d both of which were settled out of court<\/a> by the news organizations\u2019 parent companies. Trump also filed a lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal<\/a> and media mogul Rupert Murdoch in July after the newspaper published a story reporting on his ties to wealthy financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.<\/p>\n

The lawsuit names a book and an article written by Times reporters Russ Buettner and Susanne Craig that focuses on Trump\u2019s finances and his pre-presidency starring role in television\u2019s \u201cThe Apprentice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trump sparred with a pair of reporters on Tuesday before he and first lady Melania Trump departed for a state visit to the United Kingdom. He told one of the journalists he has a \u201clot of hate\u201d in his heart. <\/p>\n

Trump said in the lawsuit they \u201cmaliciously peddled the fact-free narrative\u201d that television producer Mark Burnett turned Trump into a celebrity \u2014 \u201ceven though at and prior to the time of publications defendants knew that President Trump was already a mega-celebrity and an enormous success in business.\u201d The 85-page lawsuit also attacks claims the reporters made about Trump\u2019s early business dealings and his father, Fred.<\/p>\n

Trump also cites an article by Peter Baker last Oct. 20 headlined \u201cFor Trump, a Lifetime of Scandals Heads Toward a Moment of Judgment.\u201d He also filed a lawsuit against Michael S. Schmidt for a piece two days later featuring an interview with Trump\u2019s first-term chief of staff, John Kelly, headlined \u201cAs Election Nears, Kelly Warns Trump Would Rule Like a Dictator.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the lawsuit, Trump claimed The Times \u201ccould not accept President Trump\u2019s win in 2016 and could not fathom his winning again in a landslide.\u201d It wasn\u2019t a part of the case, but Trump attacked the newspaper\u2019s \u201cderanged\u201d editorial endorsement of opponent Kamala Harris last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe \u2018Times\u2019 has engaged in a decades long method of lying about your Favorite President (ME!), my family, business, the America First Movement, MAGA and our Nation as a whole,\u201d Trump said on Truth Social. \u201cI am PROUD to hold this once-respected \u2018rag\u2019 responsible.\u201d<\/p>\n

None of Trump\u2019s media lawsuits have made it to court, but in court papers, he claimed the settlements with ABC and CBS as part of his \u201csuccessful undertaking to restore integrity to journalism.\u201d<\/p>\n

The president has also been involved in a lawsuit<\/a> by The Associated Press over restricting the news organization\u2019s access to cover him in retaliation for its decision not to follow his executive order to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.<\/p>\n

An expert on libel law said Trump\u2019s case is frivolous, but serves a larger purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe complaint is full of bluster but short on any allegations of specific false statements of fact that would meet the rigorous standards for defamation claims brought by public figures,\u201d said Katie Fallow, deputy litigation director at Columbia University\u2019s Knight First Amendment Institute. \u201cTrump\u2019s new lawsuit appears designed not to vindicate any genuine reputational harm, but to impose crushing legal costs on media organizations and create a chilling effect that will deter future critical coverage of Trump\u2019s conduct and business dealings.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Times\u2019 Stadtlander said that the news organization \u201cwill continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists\u2019 First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Penguin Random House, publisher of Buettner and Craig\u2019s book, \u201cLucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father\u2019s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success,\u201d said it stands by the book and its authors.<\/p>\n

Answering questions from the news media Tuesday as he departed the White House for a trip to London, Trump seemed miffed when an Australian Broadcasting Corp. reporter asked about his level of business activity since his return to office. Trump replied, \u201cYou\u2019re hurting Australia very much right now, and they want to get along with me.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would be visiting him at the White House soon and \u201cI\u2019m going to tell him about you. You set a very bad tone.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the reporter continued to ask questions in a loud voice, Trump hushed him by saying, \u201cquiet,\u201d and turned to Jonathan Karl of ABC News for a \u201cnicer tone.\u201d <\/p>\n

But Trump also lit into Karl, too. The two men have known each other for many years. <\/p>\n

Karl asked about Attorney General Pam Bondi\u2019s comments that she will go after hate speech after the killing of influential conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Karl said even some of the president\u2019s allies consider hate speech to be free speech and, therefore, protected by the Constitution. <\/p>\n

Trump responded by telling Karl the administration would \u201cprobably go after people like you, because you treat me so unfairly, it\u2019s hate. You have a lot of hate in your heart.\u201d <\/p>\n

___<\/p>\n

Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report. <\/p>\n

David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http:\/\/x.com\/dbauder<\/a> and https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/dbauder.bsky.social<\/a><\/p>\n