New York Times chief government warns Trump is deploying anti-press playbook’: Report

The chief government officer (CEO) of the New York Times, Meredith Kopit Levien, stated the corporate would “not be cowed” by U.S. President Donald Trump’s $15-billion lawsuit in opposition to the newspaper, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday (September 18, 2025.

The go well with is the most recent in Mr. Trump’s flurry of authorized assaults on media throughout his second time period, together with a $10-billion defamation case in opposition to the Wall Street Journal in July.

The lawsuit was legally baseless, Ms. Levien instructed a Financial Times convention in remarks the paper referred to as her first public utterance on the matter. “The lawsuit has no merit. It lacks any legitimate legal claims. I believe its purpose is to stifle independent journalism, to deter the kind of fact-based reporting that the Times and other institutions are known for.”

She added, “There is an anti-press playbook at this point . . . The New York Times will not be cowed by this.”

The White House didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

In Monday’s (September 15) go well with, Mr. Trump accused the paper of maliciously publishing articles and a e-book crammed with “repugnant distortions and fabrications about President Trump”.

In response to a Reuters request for touch upon the submitting, the paper stated on Tuesday (September 16) the lawsuit had no authentic authorized claims and was a bid to stifle and discourage unbiased reporting.