Montgomery County, MD — Melania Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Daily Mail and a Maryland-based political blogger for publishing “false and tremendously damaging” allegations that she worked as an escort in the 1990s, according to court documents filed Thursday.
The lawsuit, submitted in Maryland’s Montgomery County Circuit Court, targets Mail Media, Inc., publisher of the Daily Mail, and Webster Griffin Tarpley, operator of the blog Tarpley.net. Charles Harder, Trump’s attorney, stated the claims were “100% false” and severely harmed her personal and professional reputation.
“Among other lies, defendants falsely alleged Mrs. Trump was an ‘escort’ before meeting her husband,” Harder said. The suit seeks damages exceeding 75,000butestimatestotalharmat150 million due to the “egregious and malicious” nature of the reports.
The complaint cites a Tarpley.net article alleging Trump was a “high-end escort” and suffered a “nervous breakdown” after the Republican National Convention, as well as a since-retracted Daily Mail piece referencing similar claims. Both outlets have since issued retractions.
Tarpley removed the disputed blog post in August and apologized, but in response to the lawsuit, he called it “without merit,” arguing Trump, as a public figure, cannot meet the high legal bar for defamation. He accused her of attempting to “intimidate journalists” and suppress free speech.
The Daily Mail published an extensive retraction Thursday, clarifying it never intended to suggest the claims were true. The outlet noted its original article included denials from Trump’s spokesperson and former associates.
Harder, who previously represented Hulk Hogan in his landmark case against Gawker, indicated Trump had sent legal warnings to multiple media outlets earlier this year. The lawsuit underscores escalating legal battles involving high-profile political figures and press accountability.
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