Donald J.Trump calls New York Times Iran coverage “treasonous,” threatens to expand $15 billion lawsuit

vowed to add the newspaper's Iran war reporting to his existing defamation case, calling the coverage fake and criminal.

FLORIDA — Donald J.Trump labeled The New York Times’ coverage of the Iran conflict “treasonous” and threatened to fold it into his ongoing lawsuit against the newspaper on a Truth Social post 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 filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times in September 2025, but a judge dismissed the 85-page complaint days later, calling it full of “tedious and burdensome” language with no bearing on the legal case (see newsweek.com). Trump then filed an amended 40-page complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in October 2025, naming the newspaper, publisher Penguin Random House, investigative reporters Suzanne Craig and Russ Buettner, and chief White House correspondent Peter Baker as defendants (see newsweek.com).

The attack followed Trump’s criticism of a Times analysis published under the headline “What Changed After Almost 4 Months of War? Analysts Say Not Much.” Trump rejected the analysis, claiming Iran’s military and economy had been severely damaged, that the Strait of Hormuz remained open, and that U.S. markets and jobs were at record highs (see newsweek.com).

The New York Times has previously said Trump’s lawsuit is without merit and represents an attempt to stifle independent reporting (see newsweek.com).

Legal experts questioned whether Trump could successfully expand the case. Jane Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of Minnesota, said the Times analysis would likely qualify as protected opinion. “To be libelous, a statement must be false and defamatory,” Kirtley said. “Even taking his allegations at face value, the Times’ analysis is simply that — an analysis based on stated facts, which is a statement of opinion” (see newsweek.com).

Kirtley noted an irony in Trump’s own use of the word “treasonous.” She said it would likely be protected as rhetorical hyperbole under the very First Amendment standard Trump has sought to dismantle. “President Trump is benefiting from the New York Times v. Sullivan standard (and its progeny) that he has vowed to destroy,” Kirtley said (see newsweek.com).

Lyrissa Barnett Lidsky, a law professor at the University of Florida, said the president appeared to be “using the threat and reality of defamation lawsuits as a strategic tool of governance.” She said Trump was “trying to intimidate critics into silence” and may also be “using defamation law to try to dictate how history will be written” (see newsweek.com).

Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran last week to end the war. The interim agreement calls for a permanent halt to hostilities and starts a 60-day negotiating clock to reach a final deal on the future of Iran’s nuclear program (see newsweek.com).

Trump has previously filed and settled defamation suits against ABC News and CBS News’ 60 Minutes. He also filed a lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch over a story about his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein (see newsweek.com).

In the last 30 days, 13 of 631 Trump posts on Truth Social addressed the topic of media bias.

Source: Zenger analysis
Note: Table generated by NewsFindr on June 23, 2026 at 2:09 PM EST

Source: Zenger real-time database of all Truth Social posts.
Note: Chart generated on June 23, 2026 at 2:09 PM EST