Matt Drudge, founder of the influential conservative website Drudge Report, has threatened to file a $1 trillion lawsuit against Donald Trump's team, accusing the US President of copying his site's design for a new government-backed news website called The White House Wire.Launched this week, the Trump site features stories supporting Trump's political agenda and image. However, what's interesting is not just the political bias —it's the layout. The site has a striking resemblance to the Drudge Report, from the minimalist black-and-white interface to the uncanny, bold, all-caps headlines.'I'm considering a $1 trillion lawsuit!' Drudge told Status News—a comment some interpreted as ironic, especially given Trump's own history of exaggerated legal threats. Still, the resemblance between the two sites has stirred genuine criticism and renewed a years-old rivalry between Trump and one of his earliest media allies.The White House Defends the SiteSpeaking anonymously to Axios, a White House official defended The White House Wire, calling it 'a place for supporters of the president's agenda to get the real news all in one place.' The official added that the project was 'part of the Trump administration's effort to provide transparency' and push 'America First' policies.However, critics, including Drudge himself, have observed a very similar perspective: a taxpayer-funded effort to replicate a once-loyal platform that has since turned against Trump.Hitting back with its signature flair, by posting its own headlines mocking the new site, The Drudge Report said, 'TRUMP LAUNCHING HIS OWN DRUDGE REPORT USING TAXPAYER DOLLARS! IT TAKES AN ENTIRE WEST WING TO COMPETE WITH DRUDGE.'Although in defence of Drudge, it's fair to say that the resemblance is quite visible.Similar to the landing page of the Drudge Report, The White House Wire also uses a bulletin board to promote its pieces and its links. Both sites have a very similar typography with a minimalist visual design and all caps headlines.Another very obvious similarity between both websites is the continuous ticker and it's placement. Trump's new site displays 'WHWIRE,' mimicking Drudge's flashing 'Drudge Report.'Drudge's Complicated History With TrumpPreviously, Drudge and Trump weren't always at odds. In 2016, as Trump surged in popularity during his first campaign, Drudge was one of his most vocal supporters. Trump even hosted him at the White House and called him 'a great gentleman.'However, their terms began to get loose during Trump's presidency. The Drudge Report increasingly ran stories critical of the administration, highlighting internal turmoil, controversial policies, and mounting legal troubles. And by 2020, Trump publicly declared he had 'given up on Drudge,' while the site's headlines veered sharply against him, at one point in 2024 even dubbing him 'American Psycho.'In the vacuum left by Drudge's shift, other pro-Trump news aggregators emerged. Among them was The Bongino Report, founded by conservative commentator Dan Bongino. It promised to remain '100% pro-Trump,' with Bongino declaring, 'Drudge has abandoned you. We never will.'Trump And American Media: A Tale As Old As TimeThe complicated relationship between Trump and the American media is a tale as old as time for the world. The President has been very candid with his opinions on certain media houses. From ABC to the Associated Press, he has gone after many legacy news organisations.In a very recent event, Trump took a shot at The New York Times on Wednesday, indicating that the publication could be his next target. On his Truth Social, he posted 'The Times should also be on the hook for their likely unlawful behaviour.' In response to Donald Trump, NYT' spokesperson said, 'President Trump's post today follows a long list of legal threats aimed at discouraging or penalising independent reporting about the administration.'The US President sued ABC in a defamation case and secured a $15 million payment from the media house. He is also eyeing the gigantic amount of $20 billion in a lawsuit against Paramount Global and CBS. He has also launched probes into NBC, PBS, and NPR, while punishing mainstream outlets like the Associated Press by excluding its journalists from the White House press pool.Much to his dismay, the tables have turned, and this time, 'the sue gun' is pointing at the President himself. However, it's important to note that no official lawsuit has been filed yet against Trump, and it's unclear if Drudge genuinely intends to pursue one.Originally published on IBTimes UK