Trump sues media outlets in $10bn lawsuit

Donald Trump, the president-elect of the United States has launched a series of lawsuits against prominent media organisations and publishers, alleging widespread bias and defamation. 

The former president’s lawyer, Edward Andrew Paltzik, has demanded $10bn in damages from The New York Times and Penguin Random House, accusing them of publishing defamatory material. 

The accusations focus on articles and a book critical of Trump, claiming the reporting constitutes “industrial-scale libel.”  

The lawsuit specifically cites work by journalists Peter Baker, Michael S. Schmidt, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner, including a book titled Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success. 

Trump’s team argues the reporting deliberately disparages his business legacy and his political ambitions.  

In a statement, The New York Times dismissed the claims, asserting its reporting is accurate and evidence-based. Penguin Random House has yet to comment.  

Mounting legal actions  

In addition to the high-profile case against The New York Times, Trump’s team has filed lawsuits against several other outlets. 

A 19-page brief against CBS News, for example, accuses the broadcaster of election interference by allegedly editing an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris on 60 Minutes. CBS denies the claims, calling the lawsuit “completely without merit.”  

Trump’s campaign has also targeted The Daily Beast over an error in reporting campaign fundraising figures. Although the outlet issued a correction, the campaign maintains the article falsely implied financial misconduct by campaign co-chief Chris LaCivita.  

Similar complaints have been lodged with the Federal Election Commission against The Washington Post, which Trump accuses of making in-kind contributions to Harris’s campaign. *The Washington Post* has called the claims “improper” and “baseless.”  

Press freedom concerns

Media advocacy groups have condemned the lawsuits as an assault on press freedom. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) described Trump’s actions as a “clear and direct danger to media freedom,” while Reporters Without Borders called on the incoming administration to foster a more supportive environment for journalists.  

“The hostile media climate fostered during Donald Trump’s first presidency – expected to continue in his forthcoming second term – poses great risks to media inside and outside the country,” CPJ said in a statement.  

Trump, who has long branded the press as “the enemy of the people,” has intensified his rhetoric since winning re-election. In his victory speech, he described media outlets as the “enemy camp,” further fuelling concerns over the future of journalistic independence.  

The lawsuits mark a significant escalation in Trump’s fraught relationship with the press, raising questions about the balance between holding the media accountable and ensuring the survival of a free and independent press.