A federal judge has dismissed journalist Michael Wolff’s lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump, clearing the way for her separate $1 billion defamation claim against him over statements regarding alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
Manhattan federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled that while her court had jurisdiction, she would return the matter to state court. The judge criticized the litigation approach as displaying “an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship” and said she would not oversee “an abusively presented spat.”
How the Case Unfolded
Wolff filed his lawsuit in state court in October, prompting Trump’s legal team to move it to federal court. Vyskocil determined the case should proceed through state court channels instead, stating from the bench that “this is not how federal courts work,” according to court filings.
The conflict centers on statements Wolff made regarding Melania Trump and alleged connections to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges. Melania Trump’s legal team has maintained she has no association with Epstein or any related criminal activity.
The Defamation Claims
The Daily Beast retracted an article last summer titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author,” which was based on Wolff’s statements, after receiving a cease-and-desist letter from Trump’s lawyer Alejandro Brito.
Melania Trump’s legal team has claimed that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm,” according to court documents. She is seeking $1 billion in damages from Wolff over the allegations.
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.”
Wolff’s Defense
Wolff’s lawsuit argued that Melania and Donald Trump “have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them” with costly legal actions designed to “silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments,” according to court filings.
Wolff’s legal team maintained that he never accused the First Lady of involvement in any criminal activity associated with Epstein.
This story has been updated. CNN’s legal affairs team contributed to this report.
