A federal judge on Friday threw out Michael Wolff's lawsuit against first lady Melania Trump, a case that stemmed from her threat to sue the author for defamation over his claims linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee in New York, issued a 45-page opinion dismissing the suit, calling it an “abusively presented spat” and declining to wade into the merits. “There are many features of this case that make it complicated: the prominence of the personalities involved, the scandalizing content of the underlying statements, and, frankly, an inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship,” Vyskocil wrote. “But the outcome is simple. The Court will not be conscripted to oversee an abusively presented spat and so declines to reach the merits here.”
The dispute began last year when Melania Trump demanded that Wolff retract statements he made connecting her to Epstein. With her legal threat looming, the author filed his own lawsuit in an attempt to preempt a defamation action. Vyskocil ruled that Wolff was trying to bypass normal legal procedures. “Plaintiff asks for a declaration that, if the First Lady sues him, he deserves to win,” she wrote. “That is not how the federal courts work.”
Instead, the judge said Wolff must wait for Trump to file her defamation case in Florida, where she resides, and raise his defenses there. The ruling effectively forces the author to play defense rather than offense in the legal battle.
The case has drawn attention amid broader scrutiny of Epstein's network and Trump's past associations. Melania Trump delivered a public address at the White House last month denying any friendship with Epstein. Without naming Wolff, she referenced “lies” being spread about her. “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said at the time. “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.”
The dismissal comes as other legal cases involving prominent figures continue to unfold. In a separate matter, a judge recently tossed smuggling charges against deportation case flashpoint Kilmar Abrego Garcia, highlighting ongoing tensions in immigration enforcement. Meanwhile, prosecutors dropped charges against four ICE protesters in Illinois, underscoring the contentious political climate around immigration policy.
The Hill reached out to the White House and Wolff's attorney for comment but had not received responses by press time. The ruling leaves Wolff's original statements about Melania Trump standing, though she has not yet filed her defamation suit in Florida.
