Former U.S. President Donald Trump is taking legal action against Christopher Steele, a retired British intelligence officer, and his company, Orbis Business Intelligence, in a London court. The lawsuit centers around the infamous "Steele dossier," which made public allegations of Trump's involvement in "perverted sexual acts" and his purported collusion with Russia during the 2016 election campaign.
Trump's legal team told the court on Monday that the former president is eager to present evidence to refute the claims made against him in the dossier. They argue that Steele violated British data protection laws and caused "personal and reputational damage and distress" to Trump by leaking the dossier.
This document, which sent shockwaves through Washington when it was released just days before Trump's inauguration in January 2017, suggested that Trump had conspired with Russia to secure his election victory. While the allegations were initially deemed credible due to Steele's reputation, many of the claims have since remained unverified.
One of the more salacious allegations from the dossier that Trump aims to disprove is the claim that he bribed Russian officials to obtain a compromising tape of himself with prostitutes in Moscow. "President Trump brings this case because he seeks vindication of his legal rights," stated his attorney, Hugh Tomlinson, during the High Court proceedings on Monday.
Orbis Business Intelligence is pushing back, requesting that Trump's claims be dismissed. They argue that while the dossier might have been leaked, it was never intended for publication by BuzzFeed.
Furthermore, they assert that all copies of the dossier in their possession were destroyed in 2017. Orbis's lawyer, Antony White, highlighted Trump's history of initiating "frivolous, meritless and vexatious claims" to harass perceived adversaries and those he holds grudges against.
This legal battle in the U.K. is just one of many that Trump is currently embroiled in. He has faced a slew of criminal and civil charges in the U.S., leading to significant legal expenses. Campaign finance records reveal that Trump, who is the leading Republican candidate for the 2024 election, spent at least $42.8 million in the first half of the year, with a substantial portion allocated to legal fees.
The lawsuit in Britain also follows the conclusion of Special Counsel John Durham's criminal inquiry into the FBI's Trump-Russia investigation earlier this year. Durham did not charge Steele, and the primary source for Steele's dossier was acquitted.
