In another legal setback for Donald Trump, the High Court in London has ordered the U.S. president to pay £625,000 ($741,000) in legal costs after his failed lawsuit against former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele.
The case revolved around the controversial Steele dossier, a collection of explosive and unverified memos that alleged Trump had been compromised by Russian agents.
Trump had filed a data protection claim in 2022 against Steele’s company, Orbis Business Intelligence, arguing that it had unlawfully processed his personal data, causing him “serious distress and reputational damage.”
The lawsuit stemmed from the Steele dossier, which was published just before Trump’s first presidential inauguration in 2017 and contained damaging claims, including allegations of sexual misconduct and Russian blackmail.
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However, in February 2024, High Court Judge Karen Steyn dismissed the case, stating that it was “bound to fail” and that there were “no compelling reasons” for it to proceed to trial. As a result, Trump was ordered to cover Orbis’ legal fees, adding to the mounting legal battles he faces globally.
The Steele dossier, commissioned by Democratic Party consultants before Trump’s 2016 election victory over Hillary Clinton, alleged that Russian President Vladimir Putin had directed a campaign to “cultivate” Trump as a political asset for at least five years.
It also claimed that Moscow possessed compromising video footage of Trump with prostitutes during a 2013 visit to Russia.
Though many of its claims were never verified, the dossier played a significant role in fueling political debates and investigations, including the probe led by U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
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That investigation, which concluded in 2019, confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election but found no conclusive evidence that Trump’s team colluded with Moscow.
Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations in the dossier, calling it a politically motivated smear campaign. His lawsuit against Orbis sought unspecified damages for harm to his reputation.
However, Orbis argued that it was not responsible for the dossier’s publication, a stance that ultimately led to the court dismissing Trump’s claim. While this ruling does not address the truth of the allegations in the Steele dossier, it marks yet another legal defeat for Trump as he continues to navigate multiple lawsuits and investigations.
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