Lawsuit Filed: Trump Charges $15 Billion for Defamation against The New York Times
In a series of legal moves, former U.S. President Donald Trump has taken aim at several media organisations, accusing them of defamation and spreading false claims about him and his associates.
The most high-profile lawsuit was filed against The New York Times in June 2018, seeking $15 billion in damages. The case, which is still ongoing, alleges that the newspaper made false claims about Trump's fortune and reputation, suggesting they were built through fraud. Trump's legal team includes attorneys who have represented him in other lawsuits against major media companies.
The lawsuit against The New York Times also accuses the newspaper of giving too much credit to producer Mark Burnett for the success of the NBC reality show The Apprentice, and not enough to Trump. Additionally, Trump has accused the newspaper of lying about him, his family, his business, the America First Movement, MAGA, and the nation as a whole.
The lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal names veteran investigative reporters Suzanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Michael S. Schmidt, and Peter Baker. The Wall Street Journal is being sued for reporting that Trump sent a bawdy and sexually suggestive birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump has also sued CBS for objections to how the network edited an interview with Kamala Harris, and mentioned successful litigation against George Stephanopoulos/ABC/Disney and 60 Minutes/CBS/Paramount. CBS's parent company, Paramount Global, paid the same amount to settle Trump's suit.
In a further move, Trump is suing Penguin Random House for printing a book by Craig and Buettner about his financial rise. The lawsuit claims that Penguin Random House is a mouthpiece for the radical left and spreads lies about Trump, his family, and his businesses.
Interestingly, former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt appears to have been the last president to have sued someone for defamation. He filed suit over a report that he had been intoxicated repeatedly during his unsuccessful third-party run for a third term in office.
In response to Trump's lawsuits, the media organisations involved have stated that they will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor. The Trump administration, meanwhile, has been known for blocking mainstream media access to coverage at the White House and the Pentagon. Trump has stated on social media that the lawsuits represent a major expansion of his full-court press against the press.
As the legal battles continue, it remains to be seen how these cases will unfold and what impact they will have on the media landscape in the United States. In 2024, Trump announced a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against Penguin Random House and The New York Times, indicating that he intends to continue his legal fight against the media.
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