• President Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, claiming a decades-long smear campaign.
• The lawsuit accuses the Times of being a "mouthpiece" for the Radical Left Democrats and engaging in malicious reporting.
• Four reporters and the publisher Penguin Random House are named defendants in the case.
• Trump's lawsuit cites articles and a book that he claims damaged his reputation as part of the campaign against him.
• The Times dismissed the lawsuit as a meritless attempt to intimidate independent journalism.

President Donald Trump has launched a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the publication of perpetuating a "decades-long pattern" of false and malicious statements. The lawsuit, filed in a Florida court, specifically cites three articles and the book "Lucky Loser" authored by Times reporters, claiming these works were crafted to undermine his 2024 presidential campaign and reputation, according to aa, bbc, and latimes.

Trump characterized the Times as a "virtual 'mouthpiece' for the Radical Left Democrat Party" in his Truth Social announcement, claiming that the newspaper has been allowed to "freely lie, smear, and defame" him for too long. He expressed the belief that the lawsuit reflected widespread public support, suggesting people feel "IT’S ABOUT TIME!" according to indiatimes and vox.

The lawsuit targets not just the newspaper but also four reporters and the book's publisher, Penguin Random House. Trump's legal team alleges that the reporting in question was driven by "actual malice" and lacked journalistic integrity, as mentioned in reports by npr and channelnewsasia.

In response to the lawsuit, the Times stated that it believes the claims lack merit and aim to stifle independent journalism, which is crucial to maintaining accountability in media. These legal maneuvers follow a series of transactions Trump has made against other media outlets for similar grievances, highlighting an ongoing battle between the former president and mainstream media, as noted by reuters and cbsnews.