Trump: "NYT Is a Spokesperson for the Democratic Party"…Files $15 Billion Lawsuit

President Donald Trump of the United States announced on September 15 (local time) that he has filed a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times (NYT), criticizing the newspaper for acting as a spokesperson for the Democratic Party. The lawsuit seeks $15 billion (approximately 20.694 trillion won) in damages.

On his social media platform, Truth Social, President Trump stated, "Today, I am filing a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times, one of the worst and most corrupt newspapers in our nation's history, for defamation and the dissemination of false information."

Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

President Trump asserted, "This newspaper has effectively become the 'spokesperson' for the radical left-wing Democratic Party," referencing the NYT's public endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election and the publication of a statement of support on its front page.

He further claimed, "For decades, the NYT has lied about your favorite president (me), my family, my businesses, the 'America First' movement, MAGA, and our entire nation."

President Trump also mentioned previous lawsuits against ABC News of Walt Disney, anchor George Stephanopoulos, and '60 Minutes' of Paramount Global's CBS, stating, "They manipulated documents and videos to slander me with falsehoods. These were acts of malicious defamation that ultimately ended with record-breaking settlements."

President Trump revealed that the lawsuit is being pursued in the state of Florida.

The background of President Trump's lawsuit appears to be related to an NYT report covering his connection with billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was arrested on charges of child sexual exploitation and died in custody.

On September 8, the NYT reported that a signature in a letter containing obscene drawings-believed to have been sent by President Trump to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003-appeared to match President Trump's handwriting. Afterward, the NYT received a request from President Trump's personal attorney to retract the article and issue an apology, and the attorney mentioned the possibility of filing a $10 billion lawsuit against the NYT.