Former President Donald Trump announced on 15/9 that he is suing the New York Times for $15 billion in a Florida court. He accuses the newspaper of fabricating stories about him, his family, his businesses, and his political slogans, "America First" and "Make America Great Again."
The lawsuit cites a series of New York Times articles, including a pre-2024 election commentary that questioned his fitness for office.
"Today, I have the great honor of suing the New York Times for $15 billion for defamation and libel," Trump posted on Truth Social.
The New York Times has not yet commented.
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Former President Trump speaks to reporters at an airport in Morristown, New Jersey on 14/9. Photo: AFP |
Former President Trump speaks to reporters at an airport in Morristown, New Jersey on 14/9. Photo: AFP
On 9/9, Trump threatened to sue the New York Times over articles concerning a birthday letter to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, allegedly bearing Trump's signature.
The message, written inside a sketch of a nude female figure, appears in a book of letters compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell, 63, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for sex trafficking minors and other offenses related to Epstein.
The New York Times compared the signature on the letter, a "Donald" with a distinctive flourish on the final "d", to signatures on personal documents Trump submitted to New York City officials between 1987 and 2001.
Trump's lawyer demanded a retraction and apology for the "malicious fabrication", threatening a $10 billion lawsuit.
New York Times spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha responded that their journalists "reported on the facts, presented visual evidence, and included the former President's denial," allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. She affirmed the newspaper's commitment to seeking the truth.
The letter was released online on 8/9 by Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declared the letter a forgery, stating that Trump "did not draw the image, nor did he sign it." The White House supports forensic analysis to confirm this.
Trump has also filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over its reporting on the letter.
Huyen Le (Reuters)
