Trump Attacks NY Times Reporter Maggie Haberman, Threatens Lawsuit

The former president called the Pulitzer-winning journalist a 'maggot' and threatened legal action against her and The New York Times.

Mar. 15, 2026 at 4:04pm

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Former President Donald Trump lashed out at New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman in a Truth Social post, calling her a 'maggot' and threatening to add her and 'some of her associates' to a lawsuit against The New York Times. Trump's attack on Haberman, who has covered him extensively and authored a 2022 biography about him, is the latest in a long string of public insults he has directed at female journalists.

Why it matters

Trump's targeting of Haberman and other female reporters is part of a broader pattern of the former president attacking and disparaging journalists, especially women, who cover him critically. This behavior raises concerns about press freedom and the ability of the media to hold public figures accountable without facing personal attacks.

The details

In his Truth Social post, Trump accused Haberman of 'writing false stories' about him, even though he claimed 'the exact opposite of anything she says is usually the truth.' He threatened to add Haberman and some of her 'associates' to a lawsuit he is pursuing against The New York Times. It's unclear what prompted the attack, as Haberman's most recent story on Trump was published over a week earlier. Trump has a history of insulting female journalists, including calling CNN's Kaitlan Collins 'stupid' and 'nasty,' and telling The Washington Post's Natalie Allison that she had a 'very bad attitude' and that her publication was 'doing very poorly.'

  • Trump's Truth Social post was made on March 14, 2026.
  • Haberman's latest story on Trump was published on March 5, 2026.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president of the United States who has a history of publicly insulting and attacking female journalists.

Maggie Haberman

A Pulitzer Prize-winning White House correspondent for The New York Times who has extensively covered Trump and authored a 2022 biography about him.

The New York Times

The newspaper that employs Maggie Haberman and that Trump has threatened to sue.

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What they’re saying

“Maggot Hagerman, just another SLEAZEBAG writer for The Failing New York Times, insists on writing false stories about me, even though she fully knows and understands that the exact opposite of anything she says is usually the truth.”

— Donald Trump, Former President (Truth Social)

“In any event, I'm thinking of adding Maggot, and some of her 'associates,' into my Florida based Lawsuit against The Times which, very happily, seems to be proceeding nicely.”

— Donald Trump, Former President (Truth Social)

The takeaway

Trump's attack on Maggie Haberman is the latest example of the former president's pattern of insulting and disparaging female journalists who cover him critically. This behavior raises concerns about press freedom and the ability of the media to hold public figures accountable without facing personal attacks.