The Washington Post Lawsuit Ruling Reveals Why Trump Media's $3.8 Billion Case Collapsed

A federal judge has dismissed Trump Media's $3.8 billion (£2.84 billion) defamation lawsuit against The Washington Post, handing the newspaper a major courtroom victory after a legal battle spanning more than three years.

The ruling found the media company failed to present sufficient evidence that the newspaper acted with actual malice, while Trump Media is now weighing whether to appeal.

The Washington Post Wins $3.8B Defamation Case

The Washington Post secured a decisive legal victory on Thursday after a federal judge dismissed a $3.8 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Trump Media and Technology Group.

Judge Finds No Evidence of Actual Malice

The Post's motion for summary judgement was granted by Tampa-based US District Judge Thomas Barber, who rejected a competing request from Trump Media.

Writing in a summary docket entry known as a minute order, Barber concluded 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'.

A comprehensive opinion setting out the rationale behind Thursday's decision will be issued at a later date, according to the judge.

Under the legal precedent established by the landmark 1964 Supreme Court case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, prominent figures bringing defamation claims in US courts face a high legal hurdle. They must prove actual malice, meaning the publisher either knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for whether it was true.

Trump Media's Claims Against the Newspaper

According to the legal filing, lawyers for Trump's social media company claimed The Post had carried out a 'years-long crusade' that ultimately produced an 'egregious hit piece'.

The article, published on 13 May 2023, detailed Trump Media's search for funding ahead of a merger designed to take the company public. Federal securities regulators subsequently approved the transaction — a tie-up with Digital World Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) — in February 2024. The company then made its market debut on the Nasdaq exchange one month later under the ticker symbol DJT.

Correction Added After Discovery Phase

A Post spokeswoman welcomed the outcome, saying in a statement: 'We are pleased with the court's decision and look forward to reviewing its written order upon release.'

Following the conclusion of the discovery phase, The Post amended the original article by adding a hyperlinked correction on 22 May 2026, three years after it was first published.

The update clarified that '[d]iscovery in the ongoing litigation has established that Trump Media didn't pay a loan referral fee of $240,000, as was stated in the article and was based on The Post's reporting at the time of publication.'

Trump Media Considers Appeal

Trump Media described the amendment as a victory and said it is evaluating whether to appeal the court's decision.

A spokesperson for Trump Media said in a written statement on Monday: 'After three years, The Washington Post finally admitted its harmful story was false. 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.'