Former US President Donald Trump has been directed by a London court to settle a hefty six-figure sum in legal fees to a company established by a former British intelligence operative, whom he unsuccessfully sued for disseminating what his legal team described as “shocking and scandalous” false assertions that tarnished his reputation.
The ruling, which came from a London judge dismissing Trump's case against Orbis Business Intelligence, decreed that Trump must cover legal costs amounting to £300,000 (equivalent to $382,000), as detailed in court documents made public on Thursday.
Orbis Business Intelligence, led by Christopher Steele, a former MI6 operative with previous service on the Russia desk for Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, was the subject of Trump's lawsuit. This legal battle stands as one of the few instances where Trump, likely to secure the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was not the defendant, amid a flurry of legal entanglements in the United States.
Trump faces four criminal charges and a civil complaint domestically, including a recent defamation verdict holding him accountable for sexual misconduct, which incurred a penalty of $355 million against his enterprises.
In his lawsuit against Orbis in the UK, Trump contended that the dossier produced by Steele, which alleged misconduct on Trump's part, was fabricated, and Orbis had infringed upon British data protection regulations.
During court proceedings, Trump's attorney, Hugh Tomlinson, underscored the personal and reputational harm Trump purportedly endured due to the dossier's assertions, which included lurid allegations about his conduct in Russia. Tomlinson emphasized that these claims were damaging to Trump's character and reputation.
The legal defense mounted by Orbis asserted that the dossier was never intended for public dissemination and was published by BuzzFeed without authorization from Steele or Orbis. Moreover, Orbis argued that Trump's lawsuit was untimely.
In her ruling favoring Orbis, Judge Karen Steyn subsequently issued an order regarding the legal expenses, reducing the amount sought by Orbis, citing the brevity of the hearing and the discrepancy in the costs claimed.
This legal episode in the UK adds to Trump's litigious history, which includes a previous US federal court dismissal of a lawsuit against Steele, Hillary Clinton, and former FBI officials, wherein Trump alleged a conspiracy in orchestrating the Russia investigation during his presidency.
