The Trump administration has sued The New York Times, claiming the publication discriminated against a white male employee who was passed up for a promotion.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Tuesday that it filed a lawsuit against The NYT. The EEOC claimed the publication violated federal law when the unidentified employee was denied a promotion because of his race, sex or both.
The newspaper has rejected what it calls the EEOC’s “politically motivated allegations.”
Trump has repeatedly scrutinized the Times for its coverage of his administration, and has even sued them himself for $15 billion, claiming the publication sought to defame him when he was a candidate in the 2024 presidential election. The outlet has said the lawsuit, which was refiled last October, was meritless.
The employee at the center of the new lawsuit had applied for a position as a deputy real estate editor after the job was posted in January 2025, but he did not get the position, according to the EEOC. He had worked there as an editor since 2014, including on the business desk, where he, in part, produced stories on real estate.
The employee has been identified in another outlet. The Independent has attempted to reach the person to verify his identity.
None of the final candidates for the job was a white male, and the candidate who was offered the position was a multiracial woman, who did not have experience in real estate journalism, the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, said.
The lawsuit highlights the newspaper’s diversity and inclusion reports in recent years, which “detailed NYT’s express efforts to make employment decisions on the basis of race and sex to achieve its desired demographic goals.”
“The EEOC is prepared to root out discrimination anywhere it may rear its head,” EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said in a statement. “No matter the size or power of the employer, the EEOC under my leadership will not pull punches in ensuring evenhanded, colorblind enforcement of Title VII to protect America’s workers, including white males.”
Lucas was referring to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination based on race or sex.
“Our employment practices are merit-based and focused on recruiting and promoting the best talent in the world,” The NYT said in a statement. “We will defend ourselves vigorously.”
“Neither race nor gender played a role in this decision – we hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor,” the publication said. “The New York Times’s commitment to diversity in all its forms is longstanding and unwavering, as is our commitment to a fair and legal hiring process that does not discriminate against anyone.”
The New York Times has recently drawn Trump’s ire over its coverage of the Iran war. In one Truth Social post last month, Trump called the publication “fake news.”
“For those people that still read The Failing New York Times…you would think that Iran is actually winning or, at the very least, doing quite well — But that’s not true,” he wrote on April 13. “When does this Corrupt Media Outlet apologize for their LIES and horrible actions against me, my supporters, and our Country itself!”
