The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed a lawsuit against the New York Times on Tuesday, alleging the newspaper improperly passed over a white male employee for a promotion because of his race or sex. This legal action appears to represent a new front in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against the media.
Lawsuit Details
The employee, who worked as an editor at the Times since 2014 and served as senior staff editor on the international desk for over nine years, believed he was a significantly more qualified candidate for the deputy real estate editor position listed in January 2025. His name was not included in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit claims: "Charging Party met all requirements for the Deputy Real Estate Editor position, including experience with real estate journalism. As a White male, Charging Party did not match the race and/or sex characteristics NYT sought to increase in its leadership through its diversity actions and aspirations."
The employee was not selected as a finalist, and no white males were among the four finalists. The role was awarded to Monica Burton, who joined the Times from Vox Media's Eater.
Allegations of Malice
The complaint states the unlawful practices were done "with malice or with reckless indifference to Charging Party's federally protected rights" and demands backpay with prejudgment interest. It faults the Times' diversity efforts, asserting that increasing the percentage of non-White leaders necessarily decreases the percentage of White leaders, particularly White males.
The individual had previously filed a charge with the EEOC, which found "reasonable cause" that the Times violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Times Response
The New York Times rejected the allegations, calling them "politically motivated." Spokesperson Danielle Rhoades Ha stated: "The New York Times categorically rejects the politically motivated allegations brought by the Trump administration's EEOC. Our employment practices are merit-based and focused on recruiting and promoting the best talent in the world. We will defend ourselves vigorously."
She noted that the EEOC deviated from standard practices and that neither race nor gender played a role in the decision. "We hired the most qualified candidate, and she is an excellent editor."
Broader Context
This lawsuit comes amid broader government scrutiny of media employment practices. Last week, FCC Chair Brendan Carr cited an investigation into Disney's DEI efforts to call for early renewal of ABC-owned broadcast licenses. Media companies have been stepping back from diversity initiatives that emerged after George Floyd's murder in 2020. CBS News eliminated its race and culture unit in October, and Skydance promised to end diversity programs at CBS parent Paramount as a condition for FCC approval of its 2025 merger.
