US President Donald Trump has announced a sweeping $15 billion defamation and libel suit against The New York Times, accusing the paper of running a “decades-long campaign of lies” and smearing him, his family, businesses, and political movement.
Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump branded the newspaper “one of the most degenerative” in American history, alleging it had effectively become a “mouthpiece for the radical Left Democrat Party.” He also claimed its coverage of Democratic rival Kamala Harris amounted to “the single largest illegal campaign contribution ever.”
Trump said the suit, filed in Florida, aims to hold The Times accountable in the same way he had “successfully litigated” against other outlets. He cited earlier settlements with ABC/Disney and CBS/Paramount, which reportedly paid multimillion-dollar sums to the Trump Library project following disputes over their coverage.
ALSO READ: London’s Far-Right Rally Sends Shockwaves Through South Asian Communities
This is not Trump’s first legal confrontation with the media. He has long branded critical coverage as “fake news,” but in recent years has escalated to high-value lawsuits. Earlier settlements, though not publicly verified by courts, have been presented by Trump as victories, strengthening his narrative of being unfairly targeted by mainstream outlets.
Legal experts, however, note that US defamation law sets a high bar for public figures, requiring proof of “actual malice.” Historically, similar suits, including Trump’s own 2020 case against The New York Times over Russia probe coverage, were dismissed. Analysts suggest the current lawsuit may be as much a political move to energize his base as a legal strategy.
Indian Context
Comparisons can be drawn to Indian political and media tussles, where defamation suits are also wielded as tools to counter negative coverage. In 2016, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal faced a string of defamation cases filed by political rivals, many of which were later withdrawn after publicised apologies, underscoring how such legal battles often play out more in the court of public opinion than in law.
As the US heads deeper into the election season, Trump’s litigation blitz against media outlets signals an aggressive campaign tactic — one that blurs the lines between courtroom strategy and political messaging.
Trump Slaps $15 Billion Suit on NYT, Calls Daily ‘Degenerative’ added by Sridhar P on
View all posts by Sridhar P →