Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times and several of its journalists, but the claim that it is specifically against journalist Peter Baker alone is not fully supported by the sources.
Mostly True
Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion lawsuit against New York Times journalist Peter Baker for reporting on stories that he did not like.
Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times and 4 of its journalists
Source: businessinsider.com
At a glance
Verified September 16, 2025Key Evidence
Multiple independent sources including AP News, Bloomberg, CNN, NPR, and CNBC report that Trump filed a $15 billion defamation and libel lawsuit against The New York Times and four of its journalists.
The NPR source notes that the lawsuit names several articles and one book written by two journalists but does not single out Peter Baker exclusively.
The coverage consistently describes the suit as targeting the newspaper and multiple journalists rather than one individual reporter.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
Multiple reputable news sources confirm that President Donald Trump filed a $15 billion lawsuit against The New York Times alleging defamation and libel. The lawsuit names The New York Times as the defendant along with four of its journalists.
However, none of the sources explicitly single out Peter Baker as the sole or primary target of the lawsuit. Instead, the suit appears to be directed at the newspaper as an institution and multiple journalists collectively. The lawsuit reportedly challenges various articles and a book published by these journalists, related to coverage leading up to the 2024 election.
The claim that Trump filed this lawsuit because of stories he 'did not like' is a simplification; the legal complaint alleges defamation and libel, which are specific legal claims about false and damaging statements rather than mere dislike of coverage. Overall, the core fact that Trump filed a $15 billion defamation/libel suit against The New York Times and some of its journalists is well documented, but the focus on Peter Baker alone is not substantiated by available evidence.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source