The 10 Biggest Donald Trump Lawsuits in History
Former US President Donald Trump, like him or not, has been a prominent public figure that is consistently at the center of many controversial news stories, even long before taking up residency in the White House after the 2016 United States election. Since the 2020 federal election result that is still disputed to this day, the end of Donald Trump’s presidency has resulted in scores of lawsuits and other legal battles coming out with guns blazing. While still president, Trump was on the receiving end of many accusations of wrongdoing that has since resulted in lawsuits. Prior to becoming president, he also came face to face with accusers who felt he owed them compensation for whatever damage they believed he did to them. Regardless of one’s opinion of Donald Trump, whenever an individual that is as high profile as he is, there really is no such thing as news revolving around the man that goes unnoticed by the media. Pro-Trump fans and anti-Trump advocates often challenge the legitimacy of the news, but when it boils down to lawsuits filed by the court, that’s a matter that couldn’t care less about public opinion. By law, the judge is supposed to hear out both sides of the argument before making a final decision. In some cases, especially when taking on the billionaire tycoon such as Donald Trump, the fateful judgment call may come from a team of judges instead of just one. Like Donald Trump or not, when the man believes he is in the right of even the smallest argument, he will stop at nothing to prove his innocence. There are ten lawsuits involving Donald Trump that are, at the very least, noteworthy. In no particular order, this article lays out ten that have so far stood out as among the biggest lawsuit battles the former president has seen so far. Each source of the lawsuits described is explained in further detail on the Just Security website, which features the full list of every legal battle that is attached to Donald Trump and his closest associates.
1. Trump v. Trump
This family feud officially began when Mary Trump, niece of former US President Donald Trump, filed a lawsuit against him on September 24, 2020. Her argument is her uncle defrauded her out of several million dollars after the 1981 death of her father, Fred Trump, Jr. Since Mary Trump was still a minor at that time, Donald Trump and his children controlled her share as they sought to look out for Donald’s brother’s daughter’s best interests. When the father of Donald Trump and his brother passed away in 1999, Mary took issue with the terms of Fred Trump, Sr’s will. This resulted in a family feud where the children of Donald Trump cornered Mary Trump into an ultimatum that saw her agree to a settlement in 2001. At the time, the matter seemed as if it was settled, but the New York Times issued a story in 2018 that would rekindle the flames of this family feud. In 2020, Mary has published a book stating her side of the story, as well as reissued another lawsuit. This has ultimately led Donald Trump to file a lawsuit of his own, against Mary as her 2018 actions with the New York Times, plus the actions of 2020, have breached the 2001 agreement both sides reached when this whole mess started. In conjunction with Donald Trump’s September 21, 2021 lawsuit filed against his niece, Mary Trump, the former US president has also filed a lawsuit against the New York Times, along with its reporters. His argument points out the newspaper publication, plus its staff needs to be held accountable for their actions, which includes encouraging Mary Trump’s move that saw the reveal of sensitive documentation that is now being determined by the courts whether or not it was her legal right to do so.
2. Ithaca Capital v. Trump Panama Hotel Management
Trump International Hotels Management is Donald Trump’s private hotel business he owns. As of 2018, the Panama location of Trump International’s chain of luxury hotels became the center of a litigation dispute between Ithaca Capital and Trump Panama Hotel Management after the plaintiff believed fraudulent claims by Trump’s representatives oversold the hotel’s profitability when Ithaca purchased it in 2015 from the previous owner who had gone bankrupt. Shortly after the purchase of the hotel, it began to experience financial trouble, which prompted Ithaca to end its partnership with Trump International as they believed there was a failure on Trump’s part to keep the business relationship honest. Ithaca made several claims against Trump International and its representatives, mainly Donald Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr. As of September 15, 2021, both parties involved in the lawsuit made a mutual agreement that has since put an end to the pursuit of this lawsuit.
3. Doe v. Trump Corp.
A class-action lawsuit was filed against the Trump Corporation’s Donald Trump and his three children, Ivanka, Donald Jr., and Eric on October 30, 2018. The argument suggested the Trumps used their brand name to defraud thousands of workers by promoting several businesses in exchange for under-the-table payments. The companies involved included ACN Opportunity, the Trump Network, and Business Strategies Group. The lawsuit made mention of a pattern of racketeering that violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organizations Act (RICO), as well as violating a number of state consumer protection laws concerning fair business competition and practices. On July 24, 2019, the District Court judge granted partial dismissal of the defendant’s motion to dismiss the case. The RICO argument was determined to hold no legal ground. However, the remaining issues involved in the case, specifically the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA), have yet to be officially resolved.
4. District of Columbia v. 58th Presidential Inauguration Committee
The inaugural committee that swore Donald Trump to assume control of the oval office in the White House as US President in 2017, raised a record amount of $107 million to spend on its festivities. As a nonprofit, the inaugural committee was bound to use the funds for the good of the public, specifically towards the celebration events of the 2017 presidential inauguration. However, the District of Columbia’s Attorney General staked a claim that over $1 million of the raised funds was used to invest into the private businesses run by Donald Trump and his family. The DC AG decided to sue the inaugural committee, as well as Trump International Hotel, and the Trump Organization with claims that the funds were spent inappropriately at their facilities at rates that were much higher than what was proposed by other locations that were just as capable of hosting the inauguration events. While this case remains mostly unresolved, there has been a decision made on November 8, 2021, that partially favored Trump’s motion for summary judgment to dismiss the waste of funds claims. However, the personal business enrichment claim remains under investigation with a judgment call on that is expected to be made in 2022.
5. Thompson v. Trump
Mississippi Congressman Bernie Thompson filed a lawsuit against Rudy Giuliani, former US President Donald Trump, and two right-winged militia groups on February 16, 2021. Giuliani, Trump, the Proud Boys, and the Oath Keepers have been collectively named as violators of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871. The complaint motions the violation occurred by inciting rioters to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their official duties of the approval of the Electoral College vote. It is believed Trump’s January 6, 2021 campaign to mobilize his supporters served as a call to arms to prevent the certification of the highly controversial 2020 federal election that saw Joe Biden replace Donald Trump as the nation’s president. The players involved in the lawsuit keep changing as many politicians have joined Thompson in his lawsuit against the defendants. However, Thompson removed himself as a plaintiff as of July 21, 2021, understanding his position as a member of the House Select Committee would cause a complication in the case. The remaining Congress members who are not members of the committee have chosen to continue with the lawsuit. The matter also continues to be investigated by the FBI.
6. Swalwell v. Trump
House Representative Eric Swalwell filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump and his associates on March 5, 2021, in regards to the January 6, 2021 riots that took place. Similar to the Bennie Thompson lawsuit, which is related, Swalwell suggests Trump and his people violated the Ku Klux Klan Act with a conspiracy to interfere with the Electoral College count that was scheduled to take place that day. This fight continues as the slugfest through a number of motions that have taken place by both parties as the lawyers and judges involved have yet to resolve this matter once and for all.
7. Capitol Police Suit for January 6, 2021 Riots
There are a number of lawsuits involved with the January 6, 2021 riots that have erupted in a number of lawsuits filed against Donald Trump, along with a number of people who are in his camp. There are two that come from the Capitol Police Suit, namely Blassingame v. Trump and Smith v. Trump. The first of the two lawsuits was filed on March 30, 2021, while the second on August 26, 2021. Both of them see Capitol Police offers accusing Trump and his people of violating the Ku Klux Klan Act due to the riot that broke out at the Electoral College count that was scheduled for that day. These stand out because a number of officers who were injured at the incident are not simply filing a lawsuit against the former president and his people, but criminal ones as they’re filing complaints that hate crimes instigated by Donald Trump is what spawned the riot to take place at such a violent level.
8. People v. Trump
Filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James in March 2019, an investigation against Donald Trump and his Trump Organization has been looking into the real estate practices they’ve engaged in that seem questionable. This is more than just a lawsuit as the drama has since escalated into a fraudulent activity that makes the matter a criminal investigation that can result in heavy fines and jail time. On May 18, 2021, the NYAG, along with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, has officially informed the Trump Organization that this is no longer just a civil claim seeking a lawsuit settlement.
9. Trump v. Vance, 591 U.S.
The Supreme Court case that arose from a subpoena that was issued in August 2019 by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. against Donald Trump and his former accounting firm, Mazars, voted 7-2 in favor of Donald Trump in July 2020, who was still president of the United States at this time. This lawsuit stands out as the ongoing investigation of the Stormy Daniels scandal became part of the district attorney’s legal argument as he still continues to question Donald Trump’s integrity to this day. This became an official lawsuit after Donald Trump’s 2016 victory in the federal election that saw him officially take control of the White House and its oval office in 2017. He was called upon to reveal his income tax information for the public’s interest, but Trump refused with the statement that the voters were not interested in learning about his tax records. This lawsuit ties into the Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP that began in April 2019.
10. Trump v. Mazars USA, LLP
Three committees from the US House of Representatives have been attempting to obtain the legal right to access Donald Trump’s financial records, as well as those belonging to his family and affiliated businesses. The latest attempt began in April 2019. This landmark lawsuit made involving the decision of the US Supreme Court saw subpoenas issued by the committees of the US House of Representatives to obtain the tax returns of Donald Trump. Despite the clearance of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Trump prevented access by litigation. In a 7-2 decision issued on July 9, 2020, the Supreme Court stated that courts must take into account separation of powers to resolve disputes over congressional subpoenas seeking personal information of the present. There are also a number of factors involved when evaluating the worthiness of subpoena requests. It was ruled by the Supreme Court that the lower courts failed to properly take into consideration the separation of powers concerns. It was determined congress needed a legislative reason and was not allowed to conduct a criminal investigation, as this is a power of the executive branch. Before the lower courts had a chance to further review this case, the subpoenas involved expired on January 3, 2021, and on February 23, 2021. The House Committee has since sought to reissue subpoenas.
