Media News Daily: Top Stories for 09/16/2025

Trump Sues New York Times for $15 Billion Over Alleged Defamation

President Donald Trump has filed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of publishing false and malicious content about him. The lawsuit stems from reports linking Trump to a note and drawing allegedly gifted to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which Trump denies authoring. In a Truth Social post, Trump claimed the Times acted as a political weapon for Democrats, referencing prior settlements he secured against ABC News and CBS. The suit was filed in federal court in Tampa, Florida. Read More – Washington Examiner Rating

Nina Jankowicz Loses Defamation Suit Against Fox News

Nina Jankowicz, former head of DHS’s short-lived Disinformation Governance Board, has lost her defamation case against Fox News. The Third Circuit Court ruled that Fox’s statements were either constitutionally protected opinion or substantially true. Jankowicz argued she was falsely portrayed as a pro-censorship official who was fired, but the court found the claims largely pertained to the Board, not her personally. Even statements directly about her, including those tied to a Twitter pilot program, were deemed opinion or based in fact. The court reaffirmed protections for political speech, especially when public officials are involved. Read More – Reason Rating

GOP Bill Seeks to Restructure U.S. Government-Funded Media

Rep. Young Kim (R-CA) is introducing the “Information Warfare Modernization Act of 2025” to consolidate U.S. government-funded broadcasters under the State Department’s authority. The bill would merge Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, and the Middle East Broadcasting Networks into a single entity, while shifting oversight of Voice of America and the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. The effort aims to maintain funding while improving operational efficiency and combating global disinformation, though critics warn it could erode editorial independence. Legal challenges are expected, particularly over the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Read More – Axios Rating