Why is Trump suing the New York Times? $15B lawsuit against the newspaper explained

Donald Trump is suing the New York Times newspaper for $15 billion.

The President not only called the media outlet "degenerate" but also claimed that it was a "virtual mouthpiece for the Radical Left Democratic Party". Further accusing the newspaper of lying about him, his family, business, and political movements for decades, Trump took pride in holding it responsible.

BREAKING 🚨 President Trump stuns America by bringing a $15 Billion dollar lawsuit against the New York Times

Trump: “The suit is being brought in the great State of Florida”

SUE THEM INTO OBLIVION pic.twitter.com/JRu0f7I8F3

— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) September 16, 2025

He also cited his successful litigation actions against other news outlets - ABC News and CBS News - from the recent past, both of which were settled "for record amounts," calling their "pattern of abuse" illegal and unacceptable.

His Truth Social post concluded with:

"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 also brought up the newspaper putting his former electoral competitor, Kamala Harris, on its center front page last year, in his post. 

This isn't Trump's first lawsuit against The New York Times 

While President Trump has seen success in his lawsuit against other media outlets this year, this is his second time taking legal action against The New York Times. 

Four years ago (in 2021), Trump had sued the newspaper, as well as his estranged niece, Mary Trump, for making an "insidious plot" to get his tax records. The $100 million suit was filed in relation to Trump's financial affairs series. Published by the Wall Street Journal, the series went on to win a Pulitzer Prize.

However, his last lawsuit against the media outlet didn't find success, as it was squashed in court two years later. Judge Robert Reed dismissed Trump's lawsuit in court in 2023, adding that the claims he had made in it had failed "as a matter of constitutional law".

Judge Reed, who was a Democrat, also said:

"Courts have long recognised that reporters are entitled to engage in legal and ordinary newsgathering activities... as these actions are at the very core of protected First Amendment activity."

In addition to Trump losing the lawsuit, the then-ex-president was also ordered to cover the legal costs of the newspaper as well as three of its reporters who were listed as defendants in his suit - Susanne Craig, Russell Buettner, and David Barstow. 

Following the court judgment, a spokesperson for The New York Times issued a statement expressing the newspaper's gratitude for the ruling:

"It is an important precedent reaffirming that the press is protected when it engages in routine newsgathering."

BBC reports that Mary Trump first came to the spotlight in 2020, following the release of her tell-all memoir. Donald Trump had claimed in his failed lawsuit that Mary was pursued "relentlessly" by the reports of the newspaper for turning over her documents.