Trump asks Supreme Court to revive dismissed Clinton lawsuit

Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court on October 9 to restore his dismissed lawsuit against Hillary Clinton and other defendants over the 2016 election. Lower courts rejected the case and upheld sanctions of nearly $1 million.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Florida in 2022. Defendants included former FBI Director James Comey, former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele and the Democratic National Committee. Trump accused them of acting together to discredit his campaign through allegations of links to Russia.

Judge Donald Middlebrooks dismissed the complaint, identifying numerous deficiencies, including expired deadlines for some claims. He also ordered Trump and his lawyer Alina Habba to pay nearly $1 million in legal fees and costs. The judge found that the case contained knowingly false factual claims and legally frivolous arguments.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld those decisions, including the sanctions, in 2025. In the new filing, lawyers for Trump and Habba argue that penalising a legal position because a court disagrees with it threatens the defence of presidential authority.

The lawyers also contend that the deadline for bringing the lawsuit should have been extended. They say Trump delayed litigation during his first term because he prioritised carrying out his constitutional responsibilities as president.

The dispute draws on investigations into Russian election interference. Robert Mueller’s 2019 report described extensive Russian interference and numerous contacts with Trump campaign figures. It also said investigators did not establish that campaign members conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its interference activities.

In a separate 2023 report, special counsel John Durham criticised the basis for the FBI investigation and its reliance on information from Trump’s political opponents. That finding concerned investigative decisions. Trump’s new petition seeks review of the court rulings on his civil lawsuit.