Donald J.Trump labels New York Times Iran reporting “treasonous” and vows lawsuit expansion

accused the newspaper of using fabricated facts in its Iran coverage and pledged to add the reporting to his multi-billion dollar legal action.

NEW YORK — Donald J.Trump branded the New York Times’ coverage of Iran as “treasonous” and threatened to fold the reporting into an existing lawsuit against the newspaper on June 22, 2026.

Here is the full post (see truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116790453299036730): “The way the Corrupt and Failing New York Times is covering stories on a very battered and beat up Iran, through FAKE & MADE UP “FACTS” is, in my opinion, “TREASONOUS.” I will be adding all of their false and ridiculous reporting to my multi Billion Dollar lawsuit against them. They are Criminals! President DJT”

Trump characterized the New York Times as “corrupt and failing” and alleged the outlet relied on fabricated facts in its reporting on Iran. He described the country as “very battered and beat up,” a phrase that appeared to reference ongoing U.S. diplomatic and economic pressure campaigns in the region. The accusation escalated his long-running rhetorical war against the newspaper, one of the nation’s largest by circulation.

The post referenced a “multi Billion Dollar lawsuit” Trump has filed against the New York Times. Trump has pursued several legal actions against major media organizations during his political career, and the threat to expand the scope of a pending case signals a willingness to use litigation as a tool against coverage he disputes (see truthsocial).

Accusing a news outlet of treason carries significant weight. Treason is defined in the U.S. Constitution as levying war against the country or giving aid and comfort to its enemies, and it remains one of the most serious charges in American law. Legal scholars have noted that the term is frequently used in political rhetoric but rarely meets the constitutional standard for prosecution.

The broader context of the post reflects Trump’s sustained campaign against mainstream media. He has long used the phrase “fake news” to characterize reporting he considers inaccurate or hostile, and the New York Times has been a primary target of that criticism throughout his public life.

In the last 30 days, none of Trump’s 631 Truth Social posts focused on the topic of “Fake News Media and mainstream press,” making this post a notable departure from his recent messaging patterns.

Source: Zenger analysis
Note: Table generated by NewsFindr on June 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST

Source: Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Note: Chart generated on June 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST