Summary: What were the outcomes of some of Donald Trump’s most famous recent legal battles?
As a businessman, Donald Trump sued frequently and was frequently sued; and as president of the United States, he has also found himself in numerous legal battles. While 45 touts himself as a winner, how does he actually do when it comes to the courtroom? According to USA Today, he has filed or defended himself against almost 4,000 lawsuits over the past three decades, and as president, he has had to deal with the courts often to get some of his controversial initiatives passed.
Since Trump has too many lawsuits to dissect for one post, we’ve narrowed down a list of some of his most famous recent legal battles, and the following is POTUS’ batting average.
Trump University
Two class action lawsuits were filed by former Trump University students who said that the real estate school was an expensive scam. Trump admitted no wrongdoing, but days after winning the 2016 Presidential Election, he agreed to pay the plaintiffs $25 million. This equated to only partial reimbursement to the students involved, and although Trump lost money here, he could’ve paid out way more if the lawsuits had gone to trial.
Travel ban
In January, Trump signed an executive order barring travelers from a select few Muslim-majority countries. The order caused chaos as officials were unsure of how to enforce the rule, and protestors gathered at airports to fight what they called a “Muslim ban.” Trump’s ban was then fought in court and deemed unconstitutional, so in March, he released a revised plan. On June 26, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the second ban would be allowed, but only for travelers who had no relationships to American citizens or entities. The travel ban is now in effect for the summer.
Emoluments
In June, the attorneys generals from Maryland and Washington D.C. sued Trump because they said it was unconstitutional for him to mix business and politics. They cited the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution that bars government officials from accepting payments from foreign governments, and they said that Trump’s hotels accept foreign leaders as guests which means he accepts foreign money. In January, an ethics group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sued for the same reason. The cases are all pending, and the Republic Party called the June lawsuit “partisan” and absurd.
In January, an ethics group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington sued for the same reason. The cases are all pending, and the Republican Party called the June lawsuit “partisan” and absurd.
Sexual harassment and defamation
During Trump’s campaign, he was plagued with accusations that he was a misogynist who sexually harassed women. In October, a former contestant of The Apprentice, the NBC reality show that first brought Trump into the homes of mainstream America, sued the businessman for defamation. The contestant, Summer Zervos, had said publicly that Trump had harassed her, and Trump denied the claims, calling them a “hoax.” In turn, she sued him for defaming her character.
Trump tried to get the lawsuit dismissed, but the courts said that a sitting president can be sued for private matters. The lawsuit is still pending, and Zervos is represented the by famed feminist attorney, Gloria Allred.
DACA
Last week, ten Republican state attorneys generals threatened to sue Trump unless he dismantles the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA allows more than 700,000 undocumented immigrants to obtain renewable work permits and protections against deportation, and during his campaign, Trump promised to get rid of it. However, in office, he has appeared to soften on the issue and said only that his administration is still thinking about whether or not to get rid of it.