Donald Trump announces he finds ‘great honor’ in punishing those ‘deranged’ enough to not support him

President Donald Trump announced Monday that he is filing a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for Florida’s Middle District, targeting the newspaper over its coverage of his 2024 presidential campaign.

The lawsuit targets specific articles and a book published during Trump’s campaign. The named defendants include The New York Times Company, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker and Michael S. Schmidt, plus publisher Penguin Random House. The suit focuses on the book Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success, written by Craig and Buettner, along with three Times articles published in 2024.

In a Truth Social post announcing the lawsuit, Trump wrote it was a “Great Honor” to bring the legal action against “one of the worst and most degenerate newspapers in the History of our Country.” He accused the newspaper of becoming a “virtual ‘mouthpiece’ for the Radical Left Democrat Party” and claimed it represented “the single largest illegal Campaign contribution, EVER.” Trump also criticized the Times’ endorsement of Kamala Harris during the 2024 election, calling it “deranged.”

Trump builds on previous media lawsuit victories

The lawsuit comes after Trump secured major settlements from other news organizations. ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to Trump’s future presidential foundation in December 2024 to settle a defamation case. The settlement arose from anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly stating on air that Trump had been found liable for rape, when he was actually found liable for sexual abuse in the E. Jean Carroll case.

Earlier this year, Paramount Global also agreed to pay $16 million to settle Trump’s lawsuit over CBS News’ 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris. Trump had alleged the program deceptively edited the interview to benefit Harris before the 2024 election. The settlement did not include any statement of apology or regret from CBS.

Trump currently has another $10 billion lawsuit pending against The Wall Street Journal, which was filed after the publication reported on his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. These legal victories have shown Trump’s aggressive approach toward news outlets that he believes have unfairly covered him.

The New York Times responds with defiance

The New York Times issued a strong response to the lawsuit, stating it “has no merit” and “lacks any legitimate legal claims.” A spokesperson said the lawsuit was “an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting” and promised the newspaper would not be deterred. “We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists’ First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people,” the statement read.

Trump’s lawsuit seeks $15 billion in compensatory damages plus unspecified punitive damages and legal fees. The filing claims the Times has engaged in a “decades-long pattern” of defaming Trump and alleges the newspaper tried to “destroy his reputation as a successful businessman” and interfere with the 2024 election. Legal experts note that public figures like Trump face a high legal standard in defamation cases, needing to prove “actual malice” or reckless disregard for the truth.

The aggressive legal strategy reflects Trump’s broader campaign against media outlets he views as hostile to his administration. With multiple ongoing cases and successful settlements already secured, Trump appears to be using lawsuits as both a financial and strategic weapon against news organizations that criticize his presidency.