US President Donald Trump launched a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the New York Times, accusing the paper of being a “mouthpiece” for Democrats and of waging a decades-long “campaign of lies” against him.In a post on Truth Social, the US president wrote: “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.”Trump claimed the Times’ endorsement of Kamala Harris, which he said was placed prominently on the front page, amounted to “the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER.” He accused the paper of spreading falsehoods about him, his family, his business, and the America First movement.He added: “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 president also referenced what he described as past “successful litigation” against media outlets including ABC, CBS and Disney.
Past battles with ABC and CBS
Trump’s lawsuit against the New York Times follows a string of high-profile legal battles with major US broadcasters. Earlier this year, ABC News agreed to pay $15 million towards the president’s planned library to settle a defamation claim. The case centred on anchor George Stephanopoulos’ on-air remarks in which he inaccurately said Trump had been found liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll case. The network issued an editor’s note expressing regret and covered an additional $1 million in legal fees.Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS, also reached a settlement after Trump sued over what he alleged was a deceptively edited interview with then-rival Kamala Harris aired on 60 Minutes. The company agreed to pay $16 million, again directed to Trump’s library project rather than to him directly. Trump’s legal team described the outcome as “a win for the American people” and proof, they argued, of widespread misconduct in mainstream media.Both settlements were struck in federal courts and avoided potentially damaging depositions.
