A federal judge has tossed a $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump’s social media company against the Washington Post, dealing a sharp defeat to Trump Media and Technology Group.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber, based in Tampa, ruled that Trump Media “failed to present evidence that would allow a jury to find by clear and convincing evidence” that the Post “published the allegedly defamatory statements with actual malice.” He granted the Post’s motion for summary judgment and denied Trump Media’s. A full written opinion is forthcoming.
The lawsuit, filed in 2023, centered on a Post article from May of that year examining Trump Media’s efforts to secure financing ahead of a merger that would take the company public.
Trump Media’s lawyers alleged a “years-long crusade” by the paper that culminated in an “egregious hit piece.”
The merger—with a special purpose acquisition company called Digital World Acquisition—was approved by federal securities regulators in February 2024, and the company debuted on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the ticker DJT the following month.
Under the legal standard established by the landmark 1964 Supreme Court case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, public figures suing for defamation must show defendants acted with actual malice—knowingly publishing false information or proceeding with reckless disregard for the truth. The judge found Trump Media hadn’t cleared that bar.
“We are pleased with the court’s decision and look forward to reviewing its written order upon release,” a Post spokeswoman said.
The Post did issue a correction to the original article after discovery in the case concluded, acknowledging that “Trump Media didn’t pay a loan referral fee of $240,000, as was stated in the article.” Trump Media seized on that, calling it a vindication.
“After three years, The Washington Post finally admitted its harmful story was false,” a Trump Media spokesperson said. “We believe a jury should decide whether these falsehoods were actionable and will evaluate whether to appeal last week’s ruling in due course. We will also continue to hold the media accountable.”
The Post and Trump Media have been approached for further comment.
