A federal judge has dismissed journalist Michael Wolff’s lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump, rejecting what the judge called a “contorted” legal strategy and clearing the path for Trump’s separate $1 billion defamation claim against Wolff.

Manhattan federal Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil ruled that while her court had jurisdiction over the case, she was declining to hear it and returning the matter to state court. Vyskocil criticized the litigation approach as “an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship” and said she would not be “drafted to oversee an abusively presented spat.”

What Led to the Dismissal

Wolff filed the lawsuit in state court in October, prompting Trump’s legal team to move the case to federal court. Trump’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, had sought the transfer, but Vyskocil determined that the matter should proceed through state court channels instead.

The judge acknowledged that both sides have legitimate grievances. “This is not how federal courts work,” Vyskocil stated from the bench, according to court filings.

The Underlying Dispute

The conflict stems from statements Wolff made regarding Melania Trump and her alleged connections to Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges. Melania Trump’s legal team has maintained that she has no association with Epstein or any criminal activity connected to him.

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 Brito.

Trump’s Claims Against Wolff

Melania Trump’s legal team has previously claimed that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm,” according to court documents. The First Lady is seeking $1 billion in damages from Wolff over the allegations.

A Melania Trump spokesperson said that 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.