Trump's $3.8 Billion Defamation Case Against Wapo Dismissed

WHO:

The Guardian - President Trump, Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG), Washington Post, Judge Thomas Patrick Barber, Drew Harwell

WHAT:

The Guardian - A federal judge in Florida dismissed Trump’s $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post.

CNN - The lawsuit was based on a 2023 article titled “Trust linked to porn-friendly bank could gain a stake in Trump’s Truth Social.”

The Guardian - The judge granted summary judgment to the Washington Post, stating TMTG failed to present evidence of actual malice.

CNN - The lawsuit sought $3.8 billion in damages and accused the Post of a “conspiracy” to harm the company.

The Guardian - The Post published a correction in May stating that Trump Media did not pay a loan referral fee of $240,000 as previously reported.

WHERE:

The Guardian - The ruling was made in a federal court in Florida.

WHEN:

The Guardian - The lawsuit was filed in 2023.

The Guardian - A full opinion from Judge Barber is expected to be released following the summary judgment.

CNN - The Post published a correction to the article in May.

WHY:

The Guardian - The judge found that the absence of malice meant the lawsuit was destined to fail.

CNN - Trump Media claimed the Post engaged in a “years-long crusade” against Trump.

HOW:

The Guardian - The judge evaluated evidence during the summary judgment phase before proceeding to trial.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 19:29 UTC)

A federal judge in Florida has dismissed President Trump's $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit against the Washington Post, ruling that Trump Media and Technology Group failed to provide evidence of actual malice. The lawsuit, which was based on a 2023 article about a trust linked to a bank and its potential stake in Trump's Truth Social, accused the Post of conspiring to harm the company. Following the summary judgment, a full opinion from Judge Thomas Patrick Barber is expected to be released, and it was noted that the Post had previously corrected its reporting regarding a loan referral fee.