Overview

• The suit was filed Sept. 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and seeks at least $15 billion in compensatory damages plus punitive damages.
• Defendants include The New York Times Company, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker and Michael S. Schmidt, and publisher Penguin Random House.
• The filing cites three Times pieces from late 2024 and the book Lucky Loser by Craig and Buettner, alleging a decades-long campaign of intentional defamation.
• The New York Times called the case meritless and an effort to discourage independent reporting, saying it will not be deterred.
• Legal analysts highlight the high bar to prove defamation against a public figure and note the suit follows Trump’s broader litigation against major outlets, including a pending case against The Wall Street Journal and reported settlements with ABC and CBS/Paramount.