Trump Calls NY Times Reporting on Iran ‘Treasonous’

President Donald Trump has branded reporting by The New York Times on the Iran conflict as ‘treasonous.’ He announced plans to include the report in his ongoing lawsuit against the newspaper.

‘The Corrupt and Failing New York Times is covering stories on a very battered Iran using FAKE & MADE UP ‘FACTS,’ which is ‘TREASONOUS,’ according to Trump’s post on Truth Social on Sunday night. He stated he would add their false reporting to his multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuit against them, labeling the newspaper as ‘Criminals.’

Previously, Trump filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the Times last September. However, a judge dismissed it, criticizing the complaint’s ‘tedious and burdensome’ language. Trump then submitted an amended 40-page complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. This complaint includes the Times, Penguin Random House, reporters Suzanne Craig and Russ Buettner, and chief White House correspondent Peter Baker as defendants.

The controversy arose following Trump’s criticism of a Times analysis. The analysis suggested prolonged conflict had led to little strategic change, while Trump contended Iran’s military and economy had greatly suffered. The Times maintains that Trump’s lawsuit is baseless and aims to stifle independent journalism.

Earlier on Sunday, Trump reacted to a Times article with the headline, ‘What Changed After Almost 4 Months of War? Analysts Say Not Much.’ He disputed the claim, asserting Iran’s military capabilities and economy have drastically declined and emphasized U.S. economic gains, stating the Hormuz Strait is open and oil is flowing.

Newsweek reached out to Trump’s and The New York Times’ attorneys for comments via email, outside regular office hours on Monday.

Trump has previously filed lawsuits against ABC News and CBS News’ 60 Minutes, both settled by parent companies. He also sued The Wall Street Journal and owner Rupert Murdoch over an article about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

This story is ongoing, with updates expected.