3 minute read
U.S. President Donald Trump refiled his $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times on Thursday after a federal judge previously rejected the original suit due to its length, Fox News reported.
The amended complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for Florida’s Middle District in Tampa, accuses The New York Times of defamation, citing two articles published in 2024 and a book authored by two Times reporters last year. He is seeking $15 billion plus punitive damages, according to Fox News.
"President Trump is continuing to hold the Fake News responsible through this powerhouse lawsuit against the New York Times, its reporters, and Penguin Random House," a spokesman for Trump's legal team told Fox News Digital.
The named defendants are The New York Times Company, reporters Susanne Craig, Russ Buettner, Peter Baker and Michael S. Schmidt, and Penguin Random House, publisher of "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success," which was authored by Craig and Buettner.
A spokesperson for The New York Times told Fox News Digital, "As we said when this was first filed and again after the judge’s ruling to strike it: this lawsuit has no merit. Nothing has changed today. This is merely an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate PR attention, but The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics."
A Penguin Random House spokesperson told Fox News Digital: "With a second attempt, this lawsuit remains meritless. Penguin Random House will continue to stand by the book and its authors just as we will continue to stand for the important fundamental principles of the First Amendment."
Last month, a federal judge demanded the president's team to amend and shorten its original complaint, which was 85 pages long, to no longer than 40 pages, and gave his team a 28-day window to refile. The amended complaint is 40 pages, according to Fox News.
The revised suit alleges defamation pertaining to The Times' reporting on Trump's stint as star of "The Apprentice" and allegations he engaged in suspect tax maneuvers.
This lawsuit follows others Trump had filed against ABC News, CBS News and The Wall Street Journal. Trump has already secured eight-figure settlements against ABC News and CBS News over the past year, according to Fox News.