The dossier, financed by Democrats, was released during Donald Trump’s initial presidential campaign against Hillary Clinton in 2016.
On Thursday, a judge in London dismissed a lawsuit brought forth by former U.S. President Trump, contending that the notorious dossier with its “shocking and scandalous claims” had damaged his reputation.
Judge Karen Steyn stated that there were no compelling reasons to proceed with the claim to trial. Trump had filed the lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence, a company co-founded by Christopher Steele, the former British spy responsible for creating the 2016 dossier.
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Financed by Democrats, the dossier was released during Trump’s initial presidential campaign against Hillary Clinton. It featured unverified allegations and rumors that quickly circulated among Trump’s critics and mainstream media outlets.
Trump consistently rejected the allegations outlined in the dossier, which included rumors of involvement in sex acts with Russian prostitutes. He adamantly characterized the dossier as fake news and a political witch hunt, subsequently taking legal action to vindicate his reputation.
The decision comes at a time when Trump is leading as the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and grappling with additional legal challenges in the United States.
Within the lawsuit, Trump claimed that Orbis breached British data protection laws and pursued damages. His objective also included securing a definitive ruling from the judge affirming the falsehood of the claims.
Trump’s legal team contended that the ex-president experienced “personal and reputational damage and distress” due to the violation of his data protection rights. Hugh Tomlinson, Trump’s lawyer, argued that the dossier “contained shocking and scandalous claims about the personal conduct of President Trump.” The essence of Trump’s case is rooted in the assertion that this personal data is significantly inaccurate.
The judge appeared to concur, stating that Trump had “opted to let many years pass—without making any effort to clear his reputation in this jurisdiction—since he was initially informed about the dossier.”
She stated that “the claim for compensation and/or damages… is destined to fail.”
Steele formerly headed the Russia desk for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Democrats commissioned and compensated him for compiling research to investigate any connections between Trump and Russia.