President Trump Files $15 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against The New York Times

President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging that the newspaper knowingly published false information about him. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for Florida's Middle District, names The New York Times Company and reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker, and Michael S. Schmidt as defendants. Additionally, Penguin Random House is named for publishing the book "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success," co-authored by Craig and Buettner. The complaint accuses the defendants of defaming Trump through the book and several articles published prior to the 2024 presidential election, claiming they were crafted "with actual malice, calculated to inflict maximum damage" on him. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!" The New York Times and the White House have not immediately responded to requests for comment. This lawsuit follows Trump's recent legal actions against other media outlets, including a $10 billion defamation suit against The Wall Street Journal concerning an article linking him to a note given to Jeffrey Epstein.