Trump sues The New York Times for $15B claiming decades-long pattern of defamation

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump announced on Monday, September 15, that he is filing a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times.

He accused the newspaper of waging a decades-long campaign to discredit him, his family, the America First movement, and MAGA. 

Trump labels The New York Times a 'virtual mouthpiece' for Democrats

In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, the president alleged that The New York Times was becoming “a virtual mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party.

“Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times, one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country, becoming a virtual 'mouthpiece' for the Radical Left Democrat Party. I view it as the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER,” he wrote. 

Last week, Trump had threatened to sue the newspaper after it published articles related to an alleged sexually suggestive signed note and drawing that he supposedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. 

Trump complains about the NYT's endorsement of Kamala Harris

In his post, Donald Trump specifically highlighted the paper’s endorsement of former Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election, writing, "Their Endorsement of Kamala Harris was actually put dead center on the front page of The New York Times, something heretofore UNHEARD OF!"

"The 'Times' 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," the 79-year-old insisted. 

Trump brings up disputes with news outlets

The lawsuit marks one of Donald Trump’s most aggressive legal moves against a major news organization, and in Monday's post, he compared it with his “successful litigation” against "Fake News Networks," such as ABC, Disney, 60 Minutes, CBS, and Paramount. 

Trump went as far as to claim that the new organizations were "falsely 'smearing' me through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration, which was, in effect, a malicious form of defamation, and thus, settled for record amounts."

"They practiced this longterm INTENT and pattern of abuse, which is both unacceptable and illegal. The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW! The suit is being brought in the Great State of Florida," the MAGA leader wrote. 

Internet divided over Trump's $15 billion lawsuit against the NYT

While Donald Trump's supporters were ecstatic about his decision to bring a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, not everyone was of the same opinion. 

A Trump supporter wrote, "Way to go @realDonaldTrump. President is suing @nytimes for $15B. Fake news gets it own medicine," while another wrote, "Play Stupid Games , Win Stupid Prizes ! When are you going to Learn Fake News Networks !!! STOP LYING !!!!"

"Media accountability is more important now than ever. Hope this one goes his way," another supporter said, with one more ally adding, "Wow, $15 billion? That's one way to make headlines.Go get them, President."

One went one step ahead to edit Trump's name onto the New York Times building. They wrote "Donald Trump's New York Times."

On the other hand, a netizen criticized the move, writing, "The unreal ⁦@POTUS mining, or undermining, reality, and aiming to monetize it." While another user said, "I guess there is no way to use Tariffs to punish NYTimes He has to resort to Old Faithful: fake lawsuits at least he has leverage over WaPo with cloud and space contracts."

"So he's suing them for endorsing his opponent?" one more wrote, possibly pointing to him complaining about the newspaper's endorsement of Harris. 

An individual pointedly asked, "When is he suing the Epstein estate for releasing the fake birthday card he claims wasn't real?"

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