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A London appellate justice has declined former President Donald Trump’s request to appeal the dismissal of his case against retired British spy Christopher Steele’s company regarding the controversial 2016 dossier.
Trump’s case, which alleged that Steele’s dissemination of “egregiously inaccurate” claims about his Russian ties harmed his reputation, was dismissed by Judge Karen Steyn in February. Additionally, Trump was ordered to pay £300,000 in legal fees to Steele’s company, Orbis Business Intelligence.
In his ruling, Lord Justice Mark Warby stated that Trump’s appeal lacked prospects of success, noting contradictions in Trump’s arguments and the introduction of new points not presented before Steyn.
This decision represents another legal setback for Trump, who has already faced significant financial penalties this year, including a $175 million bond deadline following a New York civil fraud trial and an $83.3 million judgment in a civil defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll. Trump also has legal fees to cover in four separate criminal cases.
Steele expressed gratitude for the ruling, describing Trump’s case as “vexatious” and without merit. He anticipates receiving interim payment from Trump and further costs awarded by the court.
While Trump brought the lawsuit against Steele and his company in September, alleging damage to his reputation due to the dossier’s claims of collusion with Russia, subsequent investigations and lawsuits have discredited many of these claims.
Steele has maintained that the dossier contained unverified tips requiring further investigation and was never intended for public release, despite initially being considered credible due to his reputation.
