Hunter
09/24/26
An Iowa district judge dismissed President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and pollster J. Ann Selzer claiming that the newspaper’s poll coverage violated Iowa’s consumer fraud law.
The Associated Press reports Judge Scott Beattie called the case extraordinary, and said allowing the lawsuit and its faulty claims to proceed could have a chilling effect that can, quote, “discourage others from reporting and debating public affairs.”
Trump filed the lawsuit against the Register, Selzer, and the newspaper’s parent company in December 2024, accusing them of fraudulently publishing inaccurate poll results to damage him and help Democrats.
Judge Beattie wrote in his ruling that Trump’s suit sought to stretch both Iowa statutory and common law beyond their current bounds, turning speech that enjoys the highest category of First Amendment protection into a liability. He made clear that the poll and the coverage of it are constitutionally protected political speech and not a commercial product.
The Trump administration also learned early Thursday that a federal judge temporarily blocked the president’s ban of three news outlets form the White House grounds, ordering that CNN, MS NOW and Politico must have their access restored.
The temporary restraining order is in effect for 14 days and US District Judge Timothy Kelly said the news outlets were likely to succeed in showing that their press passes were revoked without due process.