A federal judge dismisses a lawsuit filed by author Michael Wolff against First Lady Melania Trump, rejecting his effort to block a planned defamation lawsuit. The case is dismissed by U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil in the Southern District of New York. According to multiple reports, Wolff sought to use anti-SLAPP provisions—intended to allow early dismissal of meritless or intimidating lawsuits—to prevent Trump from suing him for $1 billion over statements he made in media. Those statements reportedly link Trump to Jeffrey Epstein. The judge concludes Wolff’s filing is an “inappropriate” and “preemptive” attempt to manage litigation tactics, describing it as “contorted” and not consistent with how federal courts operate. Reported language from the opinion characterizes the suit as an overly strategic approach rather than a proper procedural step. The dismissal means the parties’ dispute is expected to proceed through standard litigation procedures. Sources agree that the dispute began after Trump’s lawyer threatened legal action regarding Wolff’s published remarks.