A federal judge on Friday dismissed a preemptive lawsuit brought by author and journalist Michael Wolff against First Lady Melania Trump, sharply criticizing the filing as a “contorted” attempt that does not align with how federal courts operate.
U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee serving in Manhattan, declined to exercise jurisdiction over the case despite acknowledging a genuine underlying dispute between the parties. In a 45-page opinion, Vyskocil described the litigation as marked by an “inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship” and said she would not allow the court to be drawn into “an abusively presented spat.”
“While Plaintiff and the First Lady have a real dispute, they must litigate it according to the same procedures as everyone else,” Vyskocil wrote. “Plaintiff asks for a declaration that, if the First Lady sues him, he deserves to win. That is not how the federal courts work.”
The ruling stems from statements Wolff made linking Melania Trump to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges. Last year, Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito sent Wolff a demand letter calling on him to delete the statements, warning that failure to do so would leave the first lady with “no alternative” but to sue for defamation. The letter cited “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
In response, Wolff filed suit in New York state court in October, seeking to block any potential $1 billion defamation action and arguing that certain statements were protected opinion or taken out of context. He claimed the Trumps have a pattern of using legal threats to silence critics. Brito subsequently moved the case to federal court.
Vyskocil’s decision effectively sends the matter back to be litigated through conventional channels. A spokesperson for the first lady welcomed the outcome, stating that Melania Trump “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 an April White House press conference, Melania Trump directly addressed the allegations, declaring, “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.” She denied any friendship or involvement with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, stating she had never visited his island, flown on his plane, or had knowledge of his crimes. She emphasized that she met her husband independently at a New York party in 1998 and rejected what she called mean-spirited attempts to defame her reputation.
Wolff has maintained that he did not accuse the first lady of criminal involvement with Epstein and that some of his comments referred to her behind-the-scenes role in managing White House matters related to the scandal. The Daily Beast retracted an article based on an interview with Wolff after receiving Brito’s letter.
The case drew bipartisan comments at the time of Melania Trump’s public statement. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised the first lady for standing with Epstein victims and her advocacy on issues like deepfake intimate images. Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia echoed her call for congressional hearings, urging action to allow victims to testify under oath.
Wolff, known for his books on the Trump administration, has characterized the legal pressure as part of a broader effort to intimidate critics. The dismissal does not resolve the merits of the underlying dispute, leaving open the possibility of further litigation, potentially in Florida.
