A federal judge on Friday dismissed a preemptive lawsuit filed by author and journalist Michael Wolff against First Lady Melania Trump, sharply criticizing the action as a “contorted” attempt that fails to align with how federal courts function.
U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil, a Trump appointee sitting in Manhattan, declined to exercise jurisdiction over the case even while acknowledging that a genuine dispute exists between the parties. In a 45-page opinion, she described the litigation as marked by an “inappropriate level of tactical gamesmanship” and said she would not permit the court to be drawn into “an abusively presented spat.”
“While Plaintiff and the First Lady have a real dispute, they must litigate it according to the same procedures as everyone else,” Vyskocil wrote. “Plaintiff asks for a declaration that, if the First Lady sues him, he deserves to win. That is not how the federal courts work.”
The case arose from public statements Wolff made that linked Melania Trump to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges. Last year, Trump’s attorney Alejandro Brito sent Wolff a demand letter insisting he delete the statements and warning that failure to do so would leave the first lady with “no alternative” but to sue for defamation. The letter cited “overwhelming reputational and financial harm.”
Wolff responded by filing suit in New York state court in October, seeking to block any potential $1 billion defamation action. He argued that certain statements were protected opinion or had been taken out of context, and he claimed the Trumps have a pattern of using legal threats to silence critics. Brito subsequently removed the case to federal court.
Vyskocil’s decision effectively returns the matter to conventional litigation channels. A spokesperson for the first lady welcomed the outcome, stating that Melania Trump “is proud to continue standing up to, and fighting against, those who spread malicious and defamatory falsehoods as they desperately try to get undeserved attention and money from their unlawful conduct.”
In an April White House press conference, Melania Trump directly addressed the allegations. “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. She denied any friendship or involvement with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, stating she had never visited his island, flown on his plane, or had knowledge of his crimes. She emphasized that she met her husband independently at a New York party in 1998 and rejected what she called mean-spirited attempts to defame her reputation.
Wolff has maintained that he did not accuse the first lady of criminal involvement with Epstein and that some of his comments referred to her behind-the-scenes role in managing White House matters related to the scandal. The Daily Beast retracted an article based on an interview with Wolff after receiving Brito’s letter.
The case drew bipartisan remarks around the time of Melania Trump’s public statement. Republican Rep. Nancy Mace praised the first lady for standing with Epstein victims and for her advocacy on issues such as deepfake intimate images. Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia echoed her call for congressional hearings, urging action that would allow victims to testify under oath.
Wolff, known for his books on the Trump administration, has characterized the legal pressure as part of a broader effort to intimidate critics. The dismissal does not resolve the merits of the underlying dispute and leaves open the possibility of further litigation, potentially in Florida.
