Trump in Turmoil as He May Have to Give Over His Psychiatric Records in Discovery as Lawsuit Backfired

In a dramatic escalation of a long-running legal battle, US President Donald Trump may be compelled by a court to disclose his psychiatric and broader medical records as part of discovery in a lawsuit he himself filed.

Trump filed the action in December 2022 against the Pulitzer Prize Board and 19 of its current and former members, alleging defamation arising from the board's public defence of its 2018 National Reporting awards. Court filings now show that the defendants have formally sought Trump's medical, psychological, tax and financial records as part of discovery, placing the former president in an unusual legal position of having to justify the withholding of deeply personal information. The case is proceeding in the Circuit Court of the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Okeechobee County, Florida, under standard civil litigation rules governing document production and privilege.

Discovery Requests Place Trump's Health Records in Legal Crosshairs

According to a First Set of Requests for Production of Documents served on Dec. 11, 2025, attorneys for the Pulitzer Prize Board formally demanded that Trump produce documents relating to his 'medical and/or psychological health' dating from Jan. 1, 2015 to the present.

The discovery request seeks, among other materials, records of physical examinations, psychiatric or psychological evaluations and documentation relating to prescription medications. The filing further requires Trump to identify any claimed privilege over withheld documents and to provide a privilege log explaining the basis for non-disclosure.

Under Florida civil procedure, discovery requests may encompass any material 'reasonably calculated to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence', subject to limitations imposed by privilege and proportionality. The defendants' filing asserts that the requested records are relevant to Trump's claims of reputational harm and any damages alleged in the complaint.

Trump has not publicly released any medical or psychiatric records in connection with this litigation. Court records do not yet reflect whether his legal team will seek a protective order or move to quash the request.

The Defamation Claim That Triggered Expansive Discovery

Trump's lawsuit centres on a statement issued by the Pulitzer Prize Board in July 2022, in which the board reaffirmed its decision to award the 2018 National Reporting Prize to coverage by The New York Times and The Washington Post concerning Russian interference in the 2016 US election.

In his verified complaint, Trump alleges that the board's statement falsely conveyed that the reporting was factually accurate and exonerated by subsequent investigations, thereby damaging his reputation. The complaint seeks unspecified damages and declaratory relief.

The filing names the Pulitzer Prize Board as well as individual board members in their personal capacities. Trump argues that the board's refusal to rescind the awards amounted to actionable defamation.

A publicly available copy of the complaint outlines Trump's contention that the board ignored later developments related to the Russia investigation and misrepresented the integrity of the awarded journalism.

Courts Have Allowed The Case To Proceed

The litigation has already survived multiple procedural challenges. In a written opinion issued on Feb. 12, 2025, Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeal held that Trump had sufficiently established personal jurisdiction over the defendants, allowing the case to proceed in Florida state court.

Subsequently, the Florida Supreme Court declined to intervene or halt the proceedings. Trial-level court records show that motions to dismiss and requests for stays based on Trump's status as president were denied, with the presiding judge noting that Trump voluntarily initiated the action and is therefore subject to ordinary litigation obligations.

With jurisdictional issues resolved, the case has entered a more intensive discovery phase, enabling defendants to seek documents and testimony supporting their defences.

The Pulitzer Board's discovery filing specifically asks Trump to state whether he is claiming any psychological or emotional injury as a result of the alleged defamation. If such claims are made, courts may permit limited discovery into related medical records, often under protective orders or seal.

The discovery dispute underscores a fundamental risk in civil litigation: plaintiffs open themselves to scrutiny commensurate with the claims they assert. By bringing a defamation action alleging reputational harm, Trump has triggered procedural mechanisms that allow defendants to probe the factual basis and alleged consequences of his claims.