Trump’s Legal Battle in London
The legal case initiated by former US President Donald Trump against Orbis Business Intelligence, founded by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele, has commenced in the High Court in London.
The case revolves around an alleged dossier of damaging information, and Trump is pursuing a data protection claim against Orbis.
The Steele Dossier and Allegations
Christopher Steele is well-known for authoring the Steele dossier, which contained allegations that Trump had been “compromised” by the Russian security service, the FSB.
The dossier, leaked to BuzzFeed in 2017, further alleged that Putin had “supported and directed” an operation to “cultivate” Trump as a presidential candidate for several years.
Additionally, it claimed that Trump had engaged in “perverted sexual acts arranged/monitored by the FSB.”
Trump’s Denial and Legal Action
Donald Trump vehemently denied all the claims made in the dossier. In the London High Court, he is seeking a claim under the Data Protection Act 1998, asserting that the disclosure of his personal data resulted in personal and reputational damage and distress.
The case is before Mrs. Justice Steyn, with Orbis seeking to have it dismissed.
Details of Trump’s Claim
According to Trump’s claim, a memo authored by Christopher Steele on June 20, 2016, made allegations about Trump’s activities in Russia, including “perverted sexual behavior” and bribes to Russian officials to advance his business interests.
Trump contends that these allegations are false, intrusive, and damaging, causing him significant distress and requiring him to address them with family, friends, and colleagues.
Previous Legal Challenges
Notably, Christopher Steele and Orbis Business Intelligence faced a libel lawsuit by Russian national Aleksej Gubarev over the publication of the dossier.
In October 2020, Lord Justice Warby dismissed this claim. Now, Trump’s case enters a preliminary hearing in the High Court, expected to last two days.
Orbis’s Defense
Orbis, in its written argument, maintains that the dossier was never intended to be made public and was published without permission by BuzzFeed.
The firm argues that it cannot be held responsible for any reputational damage to Trump.
Additionally, Orbis claims that the legal claim has been made too late and highlights the destruction or deletion of memos in legal correspondence.
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