A legal battle between Melania Trump and author Michael Wolff has intensified as she seeks dismissal or transfer of a defamation-related case from New York federal court. The dispute began after her attorneys sent a demand letter threatening more than $1 billion in damages over statements Wolff allegedly made linking her to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Instead of waiting to be sued, Wolff filed an anti-SLAPP action in New York, arguing the threat was meant to silence protected speech under the First Amendment. Mrs. Trump’s legal team removed the case to federal court, asserting she is a Florida resident and that New York lacks jurisdiction. They cite her residence at Mar-a-Lago as evidence.
Wolff counters that her ties to New York establish jurisdiction. The court must now decide whether the case proceeds there, moves elsewhere, or is dismissed on procedural grounds.
