President Donald Trump says he is filing an audacious lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging defamation and accusing the outlet of being a “virtual mouthpiece” for the Democratic Party.
The lawsuit demands $15 billion in damages, which exceeds the entire market cap of The New York Times Company, and claims Trump is leading an effort to “restore integrity to journalism.”
The suit is the latest example of what First Amendment experts have described as a presidential strategy to silence critical news coverage and curb free speech by filing nuisance lawsuits.
While the Times immediately signaled that it would fight the suit, the Committee to Protect Journalists observed that “these types of defamation suits send a chilling message and can entangle news media in time-consuming and costly legal processes.”
The defamation suit against The Times also names book publisher Penguin Random House and four Times reporters, two of whom wrote a book for Penguin, titled “Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success.”
The 85-page suit reads at times like a pro-Trump op-ed, with page after page of gushing praise for the president and repeated references to lawsuits he has filed against other media outlets. Media lawyers immediately expressed skepticism about Trump’s chances of prevailing.
“This lawsuit has no merit,” The Times said in a statement. “It lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting. The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics. We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor.”
The president trumpeted the filing of the suit in a Truth Social post late Monday night. He accused the Times — a publication that he both covets and often criticizes — of making false statements about him, his family and his businesses. He called the filing of the suit in federal court in Tampa, Florida, a “great honour.”
CNN reviewed a copy of the lawsuit but could not immediately confirm that it had been received by the court. (CNN)
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