A federal judge has dismissed journalist Michael Wolff’s lawsuit against First Lady Melania Trump, rejecting what the court called a “contorted” legal strategy and clearing the way for Trump’s $1 billion defamation claim to proceed.
Manhattan Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee, found that while federal courts have jurisdiction over the case, she would decline to exercise it. “It’s an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship,” Vyskocil said, adding she would not be “drafted to oversee an abusively presented spat.”
The dismissal stems from competing legal filings between Wolff and the First Lady over statements he made regarding her connection to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump’s legal team, led by attorney Alejandro Brito, had moved Wolff’s original state court complaint to federal court, where Vyskocil ultimately ruled the case should return to be “litigated like any other.”
The Dispute Over Statements
Wolff claimed in his lawsuit that the president and First Lady “have made a practice of threatening those who speak against them” using costly legal actions. He argued they deployed such tactics “to silence their speech, to intimidate their critics generally, and to extract unjustified payments.”
In his complaint, Wolff said he never accused the First Lady of involvement with criminal activity related to Epstein. However, The Daily Beast retracted an article last summer titled “Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author,” which was based on an interview with Wolff, after receiving a legal letter from Brito.
A Melania Trump spokesperson responded to the ruling by stating 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.”
The First Lady’s Response
Trump’s legal team had previously claimed that Wolff’s statements caused her “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.” The First Lady denied any association with Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of child sex trafficking.
In a statement, Melania Trump said, “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”
Congressional Response
Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised the First Lady for her stance, saying, “Melania Trump stands with Epstein victims,” and citing her advocacy for legislation addressing the distribution of fake intimate images. “The truth will prevail,” Mace said.
Democrat Rep. Robert Garcia called for expanded congressional action on the matter, urging, “We encourage Chairman Comer to schedule a hearing immediately.” Garcia said the remarks renewed attention on the broader investigation and called on lawmakers to allow victims to testify under oath.