Trump–New York Times Feud Intensifies: Insults, Lawsuits and a Fight Over Press Access

President Donald Trump and The New York Times are locked in a renewed public battle after a Times article suggesting the 79-year-old president is "slowing down" prompted sharp rebukes from the White House and a cascade of legal actions on both sides.

Headline Sparked Personal Attacks

The dispute reignited after a Times story co-authored by White House correspondent Katie Rogers — titled "Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office" — suggested Mr. Trump’s pace and schedule have slowed. The president called the piece a "hit piece" and personally insulted the reporter.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt strongly denied the account at a Monday briefing, calling it "unequivocally false" and citing past Times coverage of President Biden to argue the paper treats the two presidents differently. The Times defended Rogers and its White House team, saying its reporters "have reported without fear or favor across multiple administrations."

Pentagon Lawsuit: Press Access and Due Process

In a separate development, The New York Times filed suit against the Pentagon over a new press policy that restricts access to the Pentagon’s briefings and grounds for reporters who decline to sign the Defense Department’s new terms. The Times alleges the policy violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights by granting the Pentagon "standardless discretion" to revoke press credentials and by using "incurably vague" language that denies due process.

The lawsuit also accuses the Pentagon of viewpoint discrimination, noting that some outlets and reporters who signed the Pentagon pledge were admitted to a recent briefing while others were excluded. The Pentagon said it is aware of the lawsuit and looks forward to addressing the arguments in court.

Trump's Defamation Suit Against the Times

Weeks earlier, Mr. Trump refiled a broad defamation lawsuit against The New York Times after a prior, lengthier complaint was partly struck down by a judge. The amended suit names The New York Times Company, several reporters and publisher Penguin Random House — seeking $15 billion in damages and claiming that two 2024 articles and a book contain defamatory statements about him.

The Times has responded that the suit "has no merit" and characterized it as an attempt to stifle independent reporting and generate publicity.

Political Reactions and Credibility Claims

At the 2025 DealBook Summit, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the Times’s credibility, saying "The New York Times is no longer the paper of record" and calling the article about Mr. Trump "100 percent fake." Such public rebukes underscore how coverage of the presidency has become a flashpoint across political and media circles.

Context and What Comes Next

This escalation is the latest chapter in a long, fraught relationship between Mr. Trump and The New York Times, a paper he has alternately courted and attacked since his days as a real estate developer. The legal disputes over defamation and Pentagon press access are likely to proceed in courts, while the public rhetoric — including insults and sharp rebuttals — is expected to continue.

Bottom line: The clash combines personal attacks, questions about media credibility, and constitutional arguments over press access—making it both a political flashpoint and a potential legal test case for journalism and government transparency.