UK court rejects Trump's appeal in lawsuit tied to Steele dossier

A London appellate justice denied former President Donald Trump's request to appeal the dismissal of his case against retired British spy Christopher Steele's company regarding the controversial 2016 dossier.

The former president had asked for permission to appeal Judge Karen Steyn's ruling in February, which stated that Trump's data privacy case, claiming that Steele damaged his reputation by spreading "egregiously inaccurate" allegations about his ties to Russia, was without merit and should be dismissed. Judge Steyn also instructed Trump to pay £300,000 in legal fees to Steele's company, Orbis Business Intelligence, a request that Trump wanted to put on hold.

Lord Justice Mark Warby stated in his ruling on Wednesday that Donald Trump's appeal had little chance of success. He noted that some of Trump's arguments were inconsistent and that the appeal introduced new points that were not raised during the initial proceedings with Steyn.

This ruling is a setback for Trump, who has already been dealt over half a billion dollars in legal penalties this year. He is required to post a $175 million bond by next week after a civil fraud trial in New York, and has been ordered to pay $83.3 million in a civil defamation case to E. Jean Carroll. Additionally, Trump is facing legal fees in four separate criminal cases.

Steele was happy about the ruling. He told CNN in a statement on Friday that he feels grateful.

"We think this case was unnecessary and without any valid reason to be brought to the English courts," Steele said. "We are now excited to get the interim payment from Donald Trump and additional costs once the court finalizes the details."

CNN has contacted the Trump campaign for a response. According to a source familiar with the situation, Trump's team intends to keep challenging the decision.

In September, Trump filed a lawsuit against Steele and his company. The lawsuit claims that Steele made damaging allegations about Trump's connections to Russia that have harmed his reputation.

The Steele dossier, compiled by a retired spy, contained unverified allegations against Trump on behalf of his political rivals in 2016. It was made public shortly before Trump's inauguration in 2017, alleging a conspiracy between Trump and Russia to influence the 2016 election and suggesting Russia had compromising information on him.

Initially considered credible due to the reputation of the compiler, Christopher Steele, the claims in the dossier were later debunked through various US government investigations and legal challenges.

Steele has consistently stated that his claims were unverified tips that needed more investigation and were not intended for public release.

This report includes contributions from CNN’s Kate Sullivan, Natasha Bertrand, Zahid Mahmood, Marshall Cohen, and Catherine Nicholls.

Editor's P/S:

The dismissal of Trump's appeal against the dismissal of his case against Steele's company is a significant setback for the former president, who has been facing mounting legal challenges. The ruling is a vindication for Steele, who has consistently maintained that his claims in the controversial dossier were not intended for public release and were based on unverified tips. The court's decision also adds to the financial burden on Trump, who is already facing significant legal fees in multiple cases.

This ruling is a reminder that even former presidents are not immune to the legal process and must abide by the rule of law. The dismissal of Trump's appeal sends a strong message that baseless lawsuits will not be tolerated and that those who make damaging allegations without evidence will be held accountable. It also highlights the importance of a free and independent judiciary that can make decisions without fear of political reprisal.