President Donald Trump has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review his dismissed civil lawsuit against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), and others. The lawsuit, filed in March 2022, was dismissed by a federal judge and upheld by an appeals court, which also ordered Trump and his attorney Alina Habba to pay nearly $1 million in sanctions.
The lower courts ruled the lawsuit frivolous, stating it lacked legal merit and appeared politically motivated rather than grounded in valid legal claims. Trump’s petition seeks to overturn the dismissal and sanctions, arguing the case was legitimate. The lawsuit alleges that Clinton and her allies conspired to discredit Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign by falsely linking it to Russia.
Legal Background and Rationale for Dismissal
The lawsuit was filed under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, a federal law allowing private individuals to seek damages for alleged patterns of illegal activity, such as fraud or conspiracy. The lower courts determined Trump waited too long to file the claim under the RICO Act’s statute of limitations.
The case centered on allegations that Clinton and others spread a "false narrative" suggesting Trump’s campaign colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 election. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the idea of Russian interference as a "hoax", despite findings from the 2019 Mueller report, which found no criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia. The 2023 Durham report criticized the FBI’s handling of its 2016 counterintelligence investigation into possible Trump campaign contacts with Russia, noting reliance on uncorroborated tips, including material connected to the Clinton campaign.
Timeline of Events
- March 2022: Trump, then out of office after losing the 2020 election, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Florida.
- 2023: The Durham report was released, criticizing the FBI’s investigation methods.
- 2024: Trump regained the presidency after defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
- October 9, 2026: Trump petitioned the Supreme Court to review the dismissal and sanctions.
The Supreme Court has not yet indicated whether it will accept the case for review. Legal experts note that the Court typically only intervenes in cases with broader legal significance or when lower courts have issued conflicting rulings.