President Donald Trump renewed his threat of legal action against The New York Times on June 21, accusing the newspaper of publishing “treasonous” coverage that downplayed the impact of the nearly four-month war with Iran.
“I will be adding all of their false and ridiculous reporting to my multi Billion Dollar lawsuit against them. They are Criminals,” Trump wrote in a June 21 post on Truth Social.
“The headline in the Corrupt and Failing New York Times: ‘What Changed After Almost 4 Months of War? Analysts Say Not Much.’ REALLY?” Trump wrote in a separate post.
“Their Military is DONE, their Navy is GONE, their Air Force is GONE, their Launching Pads, Missiles, Drones and Manufacturing of same, is almost GONE, their top two sets of Leaders are GONE, their Inflation is at 250%, their Economy is BROKEN, their Soldiers aren’t being paid, the Hormuz Strait is OPEN, THE OIL IS GUSHING, and the U.S. Stock Market and Jobs are at record HIGHS.”
A New York Times spokeswoman told The Epoch Times by email that its “coverage of the U.S. war in Iran has consistently reported facts from the region, Washington and around the world.”
“We have presented this coverage fairly, thoroughly and above all, accurately to readers,” the spokeswoman said. “This reporting is protected by the First Amendment and vital to ensuring that the public is well-informed.”
In another post, Trump included a screenshot of an X post from Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who also criticized The New York Times.
“To say nothing has changed after Operations Midnight Hammer and Epic Fury is an insult to our men and women in uniform,” Graham wrote in the post.
“To say nothing has changed denies the devastation to the Iranian economy created by the blockade and other economic pressures applied by President Trump.
“This analysis by the New York Times says more about their bias against President Trump than it does the undeniable facts about the state of play in Iran.”
The New York Times piece published on June 21 said that “roughly 100 days later, as the United States and Iran have reached a somewhat vague memorandum of understanding to end the war, skeptics are expressing bafflement over what exactly has transformed.”
“Neither the war nor the agreement ended what U.S. and Israeli officials regard as the main threats emanating from Iran,” it stated. “The country’s nuclear program, while heavily damaged, was not eliminated — its fate punted to future negotiation.”
Prior Lawsuit
In September 2025, Trump filed the $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times and its reporters, accusing the newspaper of defamation.
Trump filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Florida over articles and a book written by two New York Times reporters and published during the height of the 2024 election, alleging that they were crafted with “actual malice, calculated to inflict maximum damage” on him.
“Defendants maliciously published the book and the articles knowing that these publications were filled with repugnant distortions and fabrications about President Trump,” the lawsuit reads.
The New York Times spokeswoman referred The Epoch Times to its October statement.
“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,” the October statement said.
“The New York Times will not be deterred by intimidation tactics. We will continue to pursue the facts without fear or favor and stand up for journalists’ First Amendment right to ask questions on behalf of the American people.”
Trump announced the lawsuit in a Truth Social post, saying that The New York Times had become “a virtual mouthpiece for the radical left Democrat Party” and cited its endorsement of then-Democratic presidential candidate and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Their Endorsement of Kamala Harris was actually put dead center on the front page of The New York Times, something heretofore UNHEARD OF,” he said.
Aldgra Fredly contributed to this report.
