UK Court Orders Trump To Pay Substantial Legal Fees After Dismissal of Lawsuit

The High Court in London has ordered President Donald Trump to pay over £625,000 in legal fees after his lawsuit against Christopher Steele was dismissed.

Key Takeaways

Last year, the UK court dismissed Trump’s lawsuit against Christopher Steele and his firm over allegations from the Steele dossier.
Trump has now been ordered to pay over £625,000 in legal costs.
The lawsuit accused Steele of unlawfully processing Trump’s personal data.
The court focused on legal technicalities, not the truth of the dossier’s claims.
Judge Karen Steyn previously labeled the case “bound to fail” with “no compelling reasons” to proceed to trial.

Legal Battle and Financial Penalty

The High Court in London has ruled that President Donald Trump must pay over £625,000 following the failure of his lawsuit against Christopher Steele, a former MI6 officer, and his firm, Orbis Business Intelligence. The court’s decision came after the 2024 dismissal of the lawsuit linked to the controversial Steele dossier, which was commissioned before Trump’s 2016 election victory and alleged various unverified claims about Trump’s connections to Russian intelligence. The court addressed the case focusing on legal technicalities, particularly concerning the purported unlawful processing of Trump’s personal data.

High Court Judge Karen Steyn determined that the lawsuit was “bound to fail” and cited “no compelling reasons” to bring the case to trial. Trump’s legal action, filed in 2022, stemmed from allegations within the Steele dossier. Trump sought compensation for distress and reputational damage he claimed resulted from Steele’s actions. Yet, the court ultimately dismissed the case, choosing not to weigh in on the validity of the dossier’s sensational claims.

The High Court in London on Thursday ordered US President Donald Trump to pay £625,000 ($741,000) in legal costs after he unsuccessfully sued a former British spy over a salacious dossier.https://t.co/t9b8yHe2g6

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) April 3, 2025

Details and Background of the Steele Dossier

The Steele dossier, authored by Christopher Steele, a former member of the British intelligence service MI6, contained explosive allegations that suggested Trump was compromised by Russia. These allegations included claims of misconduct and asserted that Russian President Vladimir Putin supported Trump’s candidacy. The dossier played a significant role during the initial stages of the US investigation led by Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller, which concluded Russian interference in the 2016 election. However, the dossier’s claims of collusion between Trump’s team and Russia were not substantiated.

Orbis Business Intelligence, Steele’s company, argued that it was not responsible for the dossier’s publication. Regardless, the lawsuit was dismissed without addressing the substance of the allegations, highlighting the judicial focus on procedural issues rather than the contentious content.

Financial and Legal Implications

Despite the dismissal, Trump now faces significant legal costs. He was initially ordered to pay an installment of £290,000, but he allegedly failed to do so and it resulted in a separate hearing. Judge Jason Rowley subsequently ordered Trump to pay £626,058.98, accumulating daily interest at a rate of 12%. Trump’s legal team criticized the demand for high legal fees, which they deemed excessive.

The ruling underscores the costly repercussions of navigating international legal waters, particularly concerning high-profile figures like Trump. As this legal chapter concludes, the implications continue to echo amid ongoing debates on the narratives central to this controversial dossier and its fallout.