"Most Degenerate Newspaper": Trump Sues New York Times For $15 Billion

US President Donald Trump, on Monday (local time), said he's suing American daily The New York Times over its coverage of him over the decades. The American leader said he's bringing a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the publication that he labelled as a "virtual mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democrat Party" and of waging a decades-long "campaign of lies" against him.

"Today, I have the Great Honour 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, becoming a virtual "mouthpiece" for the Radical Left Democrat Party," Trump said in a post on X.

The Republican claimed that the newspaper's supposed endorsement of Kamala Harris-- his Democrat rival in the presidential race-- which he said was placed prominently on the daily's front page, amounted to "the single largest illegal campaign contribution, ever".

He also accused the publication of spreading falsehoods about him, his family, his business, and the America First and Make America Great Again (MAGA) movements and the "nation as a whole".

Putting the Times' coverage of him in line with other liberal American publications like ABC and CBS, Trump said these outlets have "practised" a long-term intent and pattern of abuse, "which is both unacceptable and illegal."

"I am PROUD to hold this once respected "rag" responsible, as we are doing with the Fake News Networks such as our successful litigation against George Slopadopoulos/ABC/Disney, and 60 Minutes/CBS/Paramount, who knew that they were falsely "smearing" me through a highly sophisticated system of document and visual alteration, which was, in effect, a malicious form of defamation, and thus, settled for record amounts," he said.

Further lashing out at the Times, the Republican alleged that the US newspaper was allowed to "freely lie and defame me for far too long".

"They practised this long-term intent and pattern of abuse, which is both unacceptable and illegal. The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, now! The suit is being brought in the Great State of Florida. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Trump's Past Media Battles

The US President's legal battles against the New York Times follow a string of similar lawsuits against other US broadcasters, including ABC News and CBS, both of which reached out-of-court settlements with Trump. ABC settled the Trump lawsuit in exchange for a $15 million donation to the future Trump Library. That lawsuit involved a dispute over the wording of the actions for which Trump was found liable in a civil lawsuit brought by E Jean Carroll.

Similarly, Paramount, the parent company of CBS, settled the seemingly frivolous lawsuit concerning editorial decisions in the production of a CBS interview with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in 2024 by agreeing to pay $16 million, again directed to Trump's library project rather than to him directly.