Donald Trump has filed a defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, demanding $15 billion in damages. The case, filed in Florida’s Middle District Court on September 15, 2025, accuses the publication, alongside four of its reporters and Penguin Random House, of spreading false and harmful information. The suit centres on a series of articles and a 2024 book, Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, which Trump argues damaged his reputation and caused financial losses.
Trump’s legal team claims that the reports and book falsely painted him as unfit for office, contributing to a significant drop in the stock value of Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG). The suit also highlights an editorial that allegedly mischaracterised his leadership and business record, further amplifying the harm done to his image ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
The legal action follows Trump’s previous threats to sue The New York Times over its coverage of his alleged ties to financier Jeffrey Epstein. These allegations, the lawsuit argues, led to unjustified reputational damage and economic consequences, which Trump seeks to rectify through this legal pursuit.
The lawsuit is part of a broader strategy by Trump to hold media outlets accountable for what he claims are defamatory reports. Earlier this year, he filed similar suits against The Wall Street Journal and CBS’s 60 Minutes, emphasising his commitment to challenging what he perceives as biased reporting.
While The New York Times and Penguin Random House have yet to respond publicly to the lawsuit, the case raises important questions about defamation, freedom of the press, and the legal accountability of media outlets for their coverage of public figures. This high-profile case is likely to attract significant attention as it progresses, potentially setting a precedent for future defamation lawsuits in the media landscape.
