By Michelle Ndaga
U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, four of its reporters, and publisher Penguin Random House, accusing them of publishing “knowingly false and malicious” claims that harmed his reputation and business interests.
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, the suit cites several investigative articles and the book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success as defamatory. Trump alleges that the publications portrayed him falsely and contributed to a decline in the stock value of his media company, Trump Media & Technology Group.
The lawsuit argues that the defendants acted with “actual malice,” the legal standard required to prove defamation against a public figure, by allegedly publishing damaging claims with reckless disregard for the truth.
Trump’s legal team contends that the reports were part of a coordinated campaign to damage his image ahead of the 2024 election. He amplified his criticism on Truth Social, accusing The New York Times of bias and repeated attacks against him and his supporters.
The New York Times and Penguin Random House have yet to issue formal responses to the lawsuit. Legal experts note that defamation claims by public figures face a high burden of proof, requiring clear evidence that the publications knowingly spread falsehoods.
The case adds to Trump’s growing list of legal battles and underscores his aggressive strategy to challenge media coverage he deems hostile.
Source: Reuters, AP, Washington Post
