A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by author Michael Wolff against Melania Trump, a ruling that clears the way for the first lady to pursue her $1 billion defamation claim against him. Wolff had originally sued her in state court in October, but Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, had the case moved to federal court. Judge Vyskocil found that the federal court had jurisdiction but chose not to exercise it, and she sent the case back to be litigated like any other dispute.
First lady’s team says she will keep fighting false claims
A spokesperson for Melania Trump said the first lady “is proud to continue standing up to, and fighting against, those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct.”
The 56-year-old’s lawyer has previously argued that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.” The first lady has consistently denied any association with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges.
Melania Trump pushed back against Epstein links in April
At an April press conference, the first lady said, “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.” She added: “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”
In his lawsuit, Wolff argued that the president and first lady “have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them” with costly legal action. He claimed this was meant “to silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments and North Korean-style confessions and apologies.” The filing also states that Wolff never accused the first lady of involvement in any criminal activity tied to Epstein.
The Daily Beast retracted its Wolff story after a legal letter
The Daily Beast retracted an article from last summer titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author.” The piece was based on an interview with Wolff and was pulled after the outlet received a letter from Brito. In that interview, Wolff said he reported that the first lady was “behind the scenes” in handling the situation at the White House, but he did not say she was criminally involved.
Lawmakers from both parties weigh in
Republican Representative Nancy Mace praised the first lady for speaking out against Epstein. “Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims,” Mace said, pointing to the first lady’s advocacy for legislation addressing the distribution of fake intimate images. “The truth will prevail.”
Democratic Representative Robert Garcia called for a public hearing. “We agree with First Lady Melania Trump’s call for a public hearing,” Garcia said. “We encourage Chairman Comer to schedule a hearing immediately.” Garcia said the first lady’s remarks had renewed attention on the broader Epstein investigation.
Melania Trump urges Congress to act
In her remarks, the first lady called on Congress to take action. “Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said, urging lawmakers to allow victims to testify under oath.
