Overview
- U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil dismissed Wolff’s federal suit on Friday, May 22, 2026, calling his preemptive filing “contorted” and criticizing tactical gamesmanship by the parties.
- The judge said federal court had jurisdiction but declined to exercise it and ordered the dispute to be litigated through ordinary forums instead of granting a preemptive ruling.
- Wolff sued last October after Melania Trump’s lawyer Alejandro Brito warned he would face a $1 billion defamation suit if he did not retract comments linking her to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Melania Trump has denied any tie to Epstein and earlier coverage based on Wolff’s comments prompted The Daily Beast to retract a July 2025 article about her involvement.
- The decision is procedural only and leaves the truth of the Epstein‑related statements unresolved, setting up traditional litigation over forum choice, anti‑SLAPP defenses, discovery, and possible state or Florida suits.