Trump refiles $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times after judge tosses first version
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump refiled his $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times on Thursday, October 16, after a federal judge rejected the original version for being too lengthy.
The complaint, filed in the US District Court for Florida’s Middle District in Tampa, accuses the outlet of defamation, citing two articles published in 2024 and a book authored by two of its reporters in 2025. Trump is seeking $15 billion in damages, along with additional punitive compensation.
Donald Trump continues to 'hold the Fake News responsible'
A spokesperson for Donald Trump’s legal team told Fox News, "President Trump is continuing to hold the Fake News responsible through this powerhouse lawsuit against The New York Times, its reporters, and Penguin Random House.”
According to the lawsuit, the named defendants include The New York Times Company, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker, and Michael S. Schmidt, as well as Penguin Random House, publisher of ‘Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success’, authored by Craig and Buettner.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for The New York Times told Fox News, “As we said when this was first filed and again after the judge’s ruling to strike it: this lawsuit has no merit. Nothing has changed today. This is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate PR attention, but The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics."
Donald Trump’s earlier lawsuit had 85 pages
In September, a federal judge directed Trump’s legal team to shorten its original 85-page complaint to a maximum of 40 pages. The court also gave them a 28-day window to refile.
The revised complaint now runs 40 pages and alleges defamation over The New York Times’ coverage of Trump’s tenure on ‘The Apprentice’ and its reporting on alleged questionable tax maneuvers.
The filing comes amid a string of defamation lawsuits Trump has launched against media outlets, including ABC News, CBS News, and The Wall Street Journal.
Donald Trump’s media battles continue
Trump previously secured eight-figure settlements from ABC News and CBS News over the past year. In December 2024, ABC agreed to pay $15 million as a charitable contribution to a future presidential museum or foundation to resolve a defamation case sparked by anchor George Stephanopoulos' on-air remarks.
Earlier in 2025, Trump also sued CBS for “election interference” over its ‘60 Minutes’ interview with Vice President Kamala Harris, alleging deceptive editing. CBS’ parent company, Paramount, settled that case in July 2025 for a total that could exceed $30 million ahead of its planned $8 billion merger with Skydance Media.
