A federal judge dismissed journalist Michael Wolff’s lawsuit seeking to block First Lady Melania Trump from suing him over statements he made regarding her alleged association with Jeffrey Epstein.
Wolff filed the preemptive suit in October after Trump’s legal team threatened a $1 billion defamation action. Manhattan Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled the case inappropriate for federal court and transferred it back to state court, where Trump’s team had originally moved to block it.
“It’s an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship,” Vyskocil said from the bench. The judge declined to oversee what she called an “abusively presented spat” but acknowledged both parties have a legitimate dispute.
Background of the Dispute
Trump’s legal team sent Wolff a demand letter last year requiring him to delete statements about the first lady and Epstein, warning of imminent litigation if he refused. Wolff countersued in state court, arguing the threats represented an attempt to silence him through costly legal action.
Trump has repeatedly denied any association with Epstein, the financier who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Trump said at an April press conference.
A Daily Beast article titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author” was retracted last summer following the legal threat. Wolff had claimed in the interview that Trump was “behind the scenes” handling White House issues related to Epstein but was not involved in any criminal conduct.
The Legal Arguments
Wolff’s lawsuit contended that some of his statements constituted protected opinion, including characterizations of the Trump marriage. He also argued that his reporting was taken out of context and that he never accused the first lady of criminal involvement with Epstein.
Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, moved the case to federal court but ultimately succeeded in having it dismissed there. 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.”
Congressional Response
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised Trump for her statement, saying “Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims” and pointing to her advocacy for legislation against nonconsensual intimate imagery. Democratic lawmakers including Rep. Robert Garcia called for Congress to hold a public hearing on the matter.
In her remarks, Trump urged Congress to act on the issue. “Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said, encouraging lawmakers to allow victims to testify under oath.
