Trump sues ‘New York Times’ for $15 billion, alleging defamation : NPR
A police officer was kept in front of the New York Times Building in New York on June 28, 2018.
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Mary Altaffer / AP
President Trump put a defamation trial of $ 15 billion against the New York Times And some of his most eminent journalists for articles and a book arguing that he has built his fortune and his reputation partly by fraud.
The costume also quotes an interview that the Times carried out before last year’s elections. General F. Kelly, General F. Kelly, who was chief of staff to Trump, warned that Trump had known the definition of Trump chief of staff.
And Trump’s legal team also argued that the Times Write the producer Mark Burnet Credit for the success of the NBC Reality Contest Show program The apprenticeRather than Trump, who was the host and star of the show.
“Today, the Times is a full spokesperson for the Democratic Party, “said Trump’s lawyers in the case.
In a statement published by a spokesperson, the New York Times Co. called the Meritless case.
“There is a lack of legitimate legal complaints and is rather an attempt to suffocate and discourage independent reports,” said newspaper company. “THE New York Times will not be dissuaded by intimidation tactics. We will continue to continue the facts without fear or favor and defend the law of the first amendment of journalists to ask questions on behalf of the American people. “”
The case was tabled by Trump as a private individual before the Federal Tampa court. The deposit itself is strewn with renting Trump as a politician, president, entrepreneur and artist. And he was submitted by a team of lawyers who represented Trump in his other proceedings against major media companies, notably ABC, CBS and the Wall Street Journal.
On social networksTrump said the prosecution represents a major extension of his full -fledged press against the press.
“The ‘Times’ is committed to a decade lying method on your favorite president (me!), My family, business, the first America movement, Maga and our nation as a whole,” wrote Trump. “I am proud to keep this” cloth “once respected, as we do with false networks of new ones such as our successful dispute against George Slaskopoulos / ABC / Disney, and 60 minutes / CBS / Paramount.”
Public figures such as the president must meet a high bar to prove the defamation in court. They must show that the defendants knew that what they published was false – or that they had serious doubts about the truth of these statements.
However, Trump did not have to press his business in the justice system. Faced with his lawsuits, other major media players agreed to settle.
ABC’s mother company, The Walt Disney Co. paid $ 16 million to settle Trump’s pursuit on anomalies in the George Stephanopoulos anchor.
CBS’s parent company, Global Paramount, paid the same To settle the pursuit of Trump on objections to the way the network published an interview last year with the president of the time, Kamala Harris, his democratic opponent in the presidential election. Paramount Global asked for the regulatory approval of his sale at Skydance Media at the time, which he quickly obtained.
More recently, Trump continued Wall Street Journal For reporting, he had sent a debauchery anniversary message and sexually suggestive two decades ago in disgrace Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein died in prison as he was facing charges of sexual trafficking with minors. THE Newspaper – The property of Trump’s political ally, Rupert Murdoch – has promised to fight the trial before the court. He then published a replica of the signed note, which, according to Trump, is a false.
The Trump administration has used its regulatory powers To draw concessions from television networks. He blocked media access to consumer public to White House cover And The Pentagon. And, he convinced the congress led by the Republicans Rest all federal funding for public media – This represents $ 1.1 billion over the next two years that Congress approved earlier in the year and that Trump had signed.
The trial appoints veterans journalists from the Suzanne Craig, Russtner and Michael S. Schmidt investigative investigation and the Chief of the Journal’s White House, Peter Baker. Trump also pursues Penguin Random House to print a book by Craig and Buettner in September 2024 on Trump’s financial rise, based on their reports for the newspaper. They suggested that Trump had committed a vast tax fraud on his inheritance of his father, denied the money of the family members they were due and structured his business fraudulently to avoid taxes.
The pursuit of Trump was filed the same day as his vice-president and his senior administration officials appeared on the Fire podcast Charlie Kirk To pay tribute to their friend. They swore revenge against those on the left, they blamed the division environment in which the conservative activist was killed.
Images of President Trump and former President Theodore Roosevelt are displayed on the side of the American Labor Department on August 25, 2025 in Washington, DC.
Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images / Getty Images North America
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Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images / Getty Images North America
Former American president Theodore Roosevelt seems to have been the last president to have pursued someone for defamation. He brought an action for a report by the publisher of a small weekly Michigan newspaper that he had been poisoned several times during his third -party race for a third term.
According to a Account 2023 in the Washington PostThe publisher was moved by a parade of witnesses who attested that Roosevelt, although noisy, was only drinking modestly; On the stand, the newspaper withdrew its claims.
“Given the defendant’s declaration,” said Roosevelt, “I will ask the court to indicate the jury that I only wish for nominal damages. I have not accumulated in this pursuit for money. I did not enter into a vindictive purpose. I achieved my goal and I am content.”
