Gulf News

Porn star’s defamation suit against Trump thrown out

Judge says president’s tweet was free speech protected by the Constituti­on

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Afederal judge on Monday dismissed the defamation lawsuit that Stormy Daniels filed against President Donald Trump, saying his tweet attacking the porn star’s credibilit­y was free speech protected by the Constituti­on.

“If this court were to prevent Mr Trump from engaging in this type of ‘rhetorical hyperbole’ against a political adversary, it would significan­tly hamper the office of the president,” Judge S. James Otero of the US District Court in Los Angeles ruled. “Any strongly-worded response by a president to another politician or public figure could constitute an action for defamation. This would deprive the country of the ‘discourse’ common to the political process.”

Otero’s ruling was a rare win for Trump in a sevenmonth legal battle with the adult film actress who says she had a one-night stand with him in 2006, a few months after his wife, Melania, gave birth to their son, Barron.

Otero ordered Daniels to pay Trump’s legal fees for his defence in the suit. The amount of the fees has not yet been determined, Trump lawyer Charles J Harder said.

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