New York Times CEO Vows to Resist Trump’s $15 Billion Lawsuit Over Coverage

Meredith Kopit Levien, CEO of the New York Times, firmly rejected the $15 billion lawsuit filed against the newspaper by former President Donald Trump, describing the legal action as without merit and intended to intimidate the press. Speaking at a Financial Times conference, Levien stated that the lawsuit lacked any legitimate legal foundation and aimed to suppress fact-based journalism for which the Times and other media outlets are known. "The lawsuit has no merit. It lacks any legitimate legal claims. I believe its purpose is to stifle independent journalism, to deter the kind of fact-based reporting that the Times and other institutions are known for," she said.

Levien emphasized that there is a well-known strategy being employed against the media, commenting, "There is an anti-press playbook at this point. The New York Times will not be cowed by this."

The lawsuit, filed on Monday, accuses the New York Times of deliberately publishing articles and a book containing "repugnant distortions and fabrications about President Trump." This legal complaint marks part of a broader pattern of lawsuits initiated by Trump against media companies, including a $10 billion defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal earlier this year.

When asked for a response, the New York Times reiterated that the claims in the lawsuit lack legal validity and described the case as an attempt to suppress independent journalism. The White House did not immediately provide a comment on the matter.

The ongoing legal disputes underscore the heightened tensions between Trump and major news organizations during his second term, with media freedom and accountability at the core of the conflict.