Donald J.Trump brands New York Times Iran reporting “treasonous” and threatens lawsuit

vowed to fold the newspaper's Iran coverage into his existing multi-billion-dollar legal action against The New York Times.

TrumpWorld

IRAN — Donald J.Trump labeled The New York Times‘ coverage of Iran “treasonous” and threatened to expand his lawsuit against the newspaper on June 22, 2026 at 9:30 AM CDT.

Here is the full post (see truthsocial): “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 accused the newspaper of publishing fabricated facts about Iran and called its journalists “Criminals.” He said he plans to add the coverage to a “multi Billion Dollar lawsuit” he has already filed against the outlet. The post did not specify which stories or reporters prompted the attack.

The statement arrives amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran, with Trump describing Iran as “very battered and beat up.” His characterization suggests ongoing U.S. pressure on Iran, though the post offered no detail on specific diplomatic or military developments.

Trump has pursued legal action against The New York Times before, and the threat to expand his existing suit signals a continued willingness to use litigation against outlets he views as hostile (see forbes.com). Press-freedom advocates have raised concerns about the chilling effect such rhetoric can have on newsrooms, particularly when a sitting president uses words like “treasonous” to describe reporting (see newrepublic.com).

The use of the word “treasonous” carries particular weight because treason is a crime defined in the U.S. Constitution and punishable by death. Trump qualified the term with “in my opinion,” but critics argue that presidential language equating journalism with criminal betrayal could erode public trust in the free press (see Google).

Trump’s attacks on media organizations remain a recurring theme in his public statements. In the last 30 days, 13 of 631 Trump posts on Truth Social addressed media bias, underscoring the frequency with which he returns to the subject.

The New York Times has not issued a public response to the post. The newspaper has previously defended its reporting and challenged Trump’s legal claims in court.