A federal judge has dismissed journalist Michael Wolff’s lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump, clearing the way for Trump’s $1 billion defamation claim to proceed.
Manhattan federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled that while courts have jurisdiction over the case, she would decline to exercise it and send the matter back to state court. Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, characterized Wolff’s legal approach as “an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship” and said she would not oversee “an abusively presented spat.”
The Legal Dispute
The case stems from statements Wolff made regarding the First Lady’s alleged connection to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump’s legal team, led by attorney Alejandro Brito, moved Wolff’s original state court complaint to federal court, where Vyskocil ultimately ruled it should return to state court “to be litigated like any other.”
Wolff claimed in his lawsuit that the president and First Lady “have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them” through costly legal actions designed to “silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments.” He argued he never accused the First Lady of involvement with criminal activity related to Epstein.
The Daily Beast retracted an article last summer titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author,” which was based on an interview with Wolff, after receiving a legal letter from Brito.
The Response
A Melania Trump spokesperson 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.”
In a statement, Melania Trump said, “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.” Trump’s legal team had previously claimed that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
The First Lady denied any association with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of child sex trafficking.
Political Reaction
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised the First Lady’s stance, saying, “Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims,” and cited her advocacy for legislation addressing the distribution of fake intimate images. “The truth will prevail,” Mace said.
Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia called for expanded congressional action on the matter, urging, “We encourage Chairman Comer to schedule a hearing immediately.” Garcia said the remarks renewed attention on the broader investigation and called on lawmakers to allow victims to testify under oath.
This story has been updated. CNN’s reporting staff contributed to this report.
