Trump Ordered to Pay £626,000 in Legal Fees Over Steele Dossier Dispute

A London judge ruled that Donald Trump must pay over £626,000 in legal fees to Orbis Business Intelligence following a lawsuit against them for allegations in the Steele dossier detailing ties with Russia. The lawsuit was dismissed, and Trump's failure to initially pay led to barred representation.

Donald Trump has been ordered by a London judge to pay over £626,000 in legal fees to a private investigations firm he sued over a dossier that alleged ties between his 2016 election campaign and Russia. The U.S. president's data protection lawsuit against Orbis Business Intelligence was dismissed last year.

The Steele dossier, which alleged connections between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia, along with other accusations, was denied by Trump. Despite being initially ordered to pay £290,000 toward Orbis' legal fees, Trump did not comply, resulting in his barred representation at a subsequent hearing regarding the total legal bill.

Paul Arter, a costs lawyer for Orbis, highlighted the significance of the case for both parties, noting Trump's aggressive litigation history. Judge Jason Rowley ultimately ruled Trump should pay a total of £626,000, considering Orbis' claim for £680,000 and its offer to settle for £452,000. ($1 = 0.7621 pounds)

(With inputs from agencies.)