Trump to sue New York Times for $15 billion over Epstein reporting

Original story follows:

President Donald Trump on Monday announced his plans to file a $15-billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, days after the newspaper published articles about his alleged ties to financier Jeffrey Epstein.

In a post on his social platform Truth Social, Trump accused the paper of repeatedly lying about him, his family, and businesses, and of acting as “a virtual ‘mouthpiece’ for the 'Radical Left Democrat Party.'” He said the suit would be filed in Florida but provided no additional details about timing or the specific legal claims.

“Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times,” Trump wrote. In the post, he described the newspaper as “one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country,” accused it of making what he calls “the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER,” and tied the paper’s coverage to broader attacks on the America First movement and MAGA.

Trump framed the planned lawsuit as part of a broader effort to hold media organizations accountable for falsehoods, pointing to what he characterized as prior successful litigation against broadcast outlets and news organizations that he says engaged in “smearing” and “document and visual alteration.”

“The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!” He ended the post defiantly.

The announcement follows recent New York Times coverage focused on Trump’s reported connections to Jeffrey Epstein and material the paper described as sexually suggestive — including a note and a drawing, claims that Trump has disputed. Trump had threatened last week to sue the paper over that reporting.

In his Truth Social message, Trump stated that the case would be brought in “the Great State of Florida,” but he did not release a complaint.