LONDON – Former U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to pay £290,000 (S$480,000) in legal fees after his lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence, a private investigations firm, was dismissed, a London court heard on Jan. 29.
Trump had sued Orbis over the controversial Steele dossier, which alleged ties between his 2016 campaign and Russia. His claim was struck out in February 2024. Orbis’ lawyer, Mark Friston, stated that Trump had provided “no real reason” for non-payment and was now arguing “sovereign immunity” as a head of state, a claim Friston called “completely hopeless.”
Trump’s lawyer, Jacqueline Perry, argued that the lawsuit had been dismissed due to legal errors by his former advisers. She added that Trump was prioritizing a negligence claim against them before addressing Orbis’ “eye-wateringly” high costs.
Judge Jason Rowley ruled that Trump must pay the £290,000 within 28 days or lose the right to challenge Orbis’ additional legal fees in April.