₦airaland Forum

President Donald Trump is seeking $15 billion in damages from The New York Times and Penguin Random House in a defamation lawsuit that alleges the newspaper and publisher engaged in a campaign to damage his reputation ahead of the 2024 election.

Alleging that the Times has become a "leading, and unapologetic, purveyor of falsehoods,".

Trump's attorneys argued that a series of articles about Trump -- including a report that Trump's former chief of staff John Kelly warned the president would rule like a dictator, an article about the making of "The Apprentice," and a report about the controversy that has followed Trump -- amounted to libel.

Filed in the Middle District of Florida, the lawsuit names The New York Times and Times reporters Peter Baker, Russ Buettner, Susanne Craig, and Michael Schmidt as defendants. The lawsuit also names Penguin Random House -- the publisher of Craig and Buettner's book "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success" -- as a defendant.

US President Donald Trump announced Monday that he has filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times.

"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," Trump wrote on the US social media company Truth Social’s platform, which he owns.

He accused the newspaper of becoming a "mouthpiece" for the Democratic Party.

"I view it as the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER. Their Endorsement of Kamala Harris was actually put dead center on the front page of The New York Times, something heretofore UNHEARD OF!" he said.

Trump also criticized the newspaper for engaging in a "decades long method of lying" about him and his allies.

"The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!" he said.

The suit is being brought in the state of Florida, Trump said.

"Today, the Times is a fullthroated mouthpiece of the Democrat Party. The newspaper's editorial routine is now one of industrial-scale defamation and libel against political opponents," the lawsuit claimed.

Trump's lawyers allege that The New York Times and Penguin Random House sought to not only damage the president's "hard-earned and world-renowned reputation for business success," but also hurt his chances of winning the 2024 election.

"President Trump brings this suit to highlight that principle and to clearly state to all Americans exhausted by, and furious at, the decades of journalistic corruption, that the era of unchecked, deliberate defamation by the Times and other legacy media outlets is over," the lawsuit said.

A New York Times spokesperson said the lawsuit has no merit.

"It lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting," the Times spokesperson said.

"The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics. We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists’ First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people."

Penguin Random House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from ABC News.

"President Trump's transcendent ability to defy wrongful conventions has been vividly reflected in his successful undertaking to restore integrity to journalism, and repair the immense damage caused by legacy media outlets such as the Times for the better part of a decade," the lawsuit said.

In July, Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal after the Journal reported that Trump allegedly sent disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein a bawdy letter in 2003 that was included in a book made for Epstein's 50th birthday, which Trump has denied.

In response to that suit, a spokesperson for Journal owner Dow Jones said,

"We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.

zero8zero:
Let's see if wailers will use the same energy they have been using ontop Tinubu vs Sowore case to also insult Trump , after all, their darling United States is practicing democracy

emeraldlife:
Trump is independently suing the NYT not using state apparatus to intimidate NYT

And he will surely lose this case.

zero8zero:
Let's see if wailers will use the same energy they have been using ontop Tinubu vs Sowore case to also insult Trump , after all, their darling United States is practicing democracy

zero8zero:
Let's see if wailers will use the same energy they have been using ontop Tinubu vs Sowore case to also insult Trump , after all, their darling United States is practicing democracy

NewHe:
This is what president Tinubu ought to do against Sowore!

NewHe:
This is what president Tinubu ought to do against Sowore!

zero8zero:
Let's see if wailers will use the same energy they have been using ontop Tinubu vs Sowore case to also insult Trump , after all, their darling United States is practicing democracy

Guestmale:
No political leader that knows what integrity means will allow his or her name be robbed in the mud.

jakD:
Trump as an individual is suing New York Times, SSS is not after them.

Do you understand?

yorosstores:
I know you will twist it further.

What has stopped Pitiobi from sueing Deji Adeyanju

zero8zero:
Let's see if wailers will use the same energy they have been using ontop Tinubu vs Sowore case to also insult Trump , after all, their darling United States is practicing democracy