Trump lawyers demand $10 billion in damages over "defamatory" media coverage

A legal letter sent to the New York Times and Penguin Random House a week before the election demands $10 billion in damages for "false and defamatory statements" about Donald Trump.

The letter, from Trump’s attorney Edward Paltzik, targets several articles by Times journalists Peter Baker, Michael Schmidt, Susanne Craig, and Russ Buettner, particularly those related to the book "Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father’s Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success", released in September, Caliber.Az reports citing an article by Columbia Journalism Review.

The letter accuses the Times of being a "mouthpiece of the Democratic Party" and engaging in "industrial-scale libel" against Trump. It focuses on stories about Trump's financial dealings, as well as an October 20 article by Baker on Trump's scandals and an October 22 piece by Schmidt on Trump's leadership style.

In a response on October 31, the Times stood by its reporting, referring Paltzik to Penguin Random House for claims against the book. Meanwhile, Trump filed a separate $10 billion lawsuit against CBS News, alleging bias in a 60 Minutes interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. CBS dismissed the lawsuit as "without merit."

Also on October 31, Trump’s legal team filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, accusing the Washington Post of making illegal contributions to Harris's campaign through biased reporting. The Post dismissed the complaint as baseless.

On November 5, Trump campaign co-chair Chris LaCivita’s lawyers demanded a retraction from the Daily Beast over articles alleging he profited $22 million to help Trump’s reelection. The Daily Beast corrected the figure to $19.2 million, but LaCivita's attorneys pressed for a further retraction.

These legal actions signal a broader trend of aggressive litigation by Trump, which could have a chilling effect on journalists. Anne Champion, a lawyer representing journalists in similar cases, warned that such lawsuits could financially cripple smaller news outlets and exert undue pressure on larger organizations.

Trump’s legal threats also focus on the alleged harm to his brand and business ventures, including his role as the star of The Apprentice, which the letter describes as a reflection of Trump’s "sui generis charisma and unique business acumen." The letter claims that defamatory reporting has harmed the value of Trump Media, the parent company of Truth Social.

This wave of lawsuits is reminiscent of Trump’s previous legal actions, including a failed libel suit against journalist Tim O'Brien over his 2005 book "TrumpNation".

By Tamilla Hasanova