Court Dismisses Trump's Case Against Des Moines Register

WHO:

Deadline - President Donald Trump, the Des Moines Register, pollster Ann Selzer, Gannett Co. (renamed USA Today Co.), U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, former state Sen. Brad Zaun, District Court Judge Scott Beattie, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), FIRE Chief Counsel Bob Corn-Revere.

WHAT:

Deadline - An Iowa judge dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and Ann Selzer.

Alternet - The lawsuit was filed after a poll showed Kamala Harris leading Trump among likely Iowa voters 47% to 44% just before the 2024 election.

Alternet - Trump won Iowa in the 2024 presidential election by 13 percentage points.

Alternet - The judge dismissed the case with prejudice, preventing Trump from refiling the same claim.

WHERE:

Deadline - The lawsuit was filed in Iowa.

WHEN:

Alternet - The lawsuit was filed in 2024 and moved from federal court to state court in 2025.

WHY:

Alternet - Trump alleged that the poll was an attempt to create a false narrative of inevitability for Harris during the final week of the 2024 Presidential Election.

Alternet - Trump’s attorneys claimed the poll results were “brazen election interference” and a violation of Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act.

HOW:

Alternet - Judge Beattie stated that the plaintiffs’ petition sought to stretch Iowa statutory and common law beyond their current bounds, turning protected speech into a liability.

Alternet - Selzer stated that polling is a social science and not a guarantee of election outcomes, emphasizing the importance of following data wherever it leads.

(UPDATED September 24, 2026 23:58 UTC)

An Iowa judge has dismissed President Trump's lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer, ruling that the case cannot be refiled. The lawsuit was initiated after a poll indicated Kamala Harris leading Trump among likely Iowa voters by three percentage points just before the 2024 election, a claim Trump’s attorneys argued was “brazen election interference.” Judge Beattie noted that the plaintiffs were attempting to stretch Iowa law beyond its limits, while Selzer emphasized that polling is a social science and not a definitive predictor of election results.