Laura Loomer had sued Bill Maher for defamation.
Judge Rules Bill Maher's Joke About Laura Loomer and Trump Was Satire and Dismisses Her Case
A U.S. federal judge has dismissed Laura Loomer's defamation lawsuit against HBO and comedian Bill Maher, delivering a legal blow to her allegation over a TV joke that implied that she was having an affair with President Donald Trump.
The ruling, made on summary judgment, concludes a case that drew significant media attention that examined the limits between satire and defamation in U.S. media. Loomer, a right-wing political commentator and close Trump associate, argued that Maher's comments on his HBO show went from humor to misleading factual claims.
The ruling, issued by the US District Court for the Middle District of Florida, granted summary judgment to HBO and Maher, ending the case without a trial, as reported by The Daily Beast.
The lawsuit was filed in October 2024, after Real Time host Bill Maher suggested during an episode of his HBO show that she was possibly “in an arranged relationship to affect the election because she’s very close to Trump. She’s 31, looks like his type.”
Laura Loomer lost her lawsuit against HBO and Bill Maher over affair joke.
He continued, "We did an editorial here a few years ago … it was basically, who’s Trump f------? Because I said, you know, it’s not nobody. He’s been a dog for too long, and it’s not Melania. I think we may have our answer this week. I think it might be Laura Loomer."
'Any reasonable viewer would have understood it was a joke'
In its decision, the court determined the statements were not actionable under U.S. defamation law, which provides broad protection for opinion and satire. Therefore, in these situations, courts assess whether a reasonable viewer would interpret the statements as factual claims or as rhetorical and humorous expression, according to HuffPost
U.S. District Judge James S. Moody Jr., appointed by President Bill Clinton in 2000, stated that any “reasonable” viewer would have understood that Maher’s remark was a joke. In his order, the judge said, "The Court, having reviewed the motion, response, reply, record evidence, and being otherwise advised in the premises, concludes that Defendants’ motion should be granted because Plaintiff does not establish the elements of a false statement, malice, and damages as a matter of law".
Maher's attorneys argued the segment was clearly satirical in the context of his show and that no reasonable viewer would interpret the remarks as factual.
Laura Loomer calls ruling an 'attack on women'
Loomer, a vocal Trump ally, addressed the ruling on social media. Taking to X, she called it "factually and legally wrong". In her long note, she said, "Maher and HBO defamed me per se by publishing that I ‘f---ed the president’ for simply traveling on an airplane to a Presidential debate and expressing my adoration for President Trump and his MAGA Agenda.”
Laura Loomer calls ruling 'factually and legally wrong'
She added, "It is beyond the pale for any judge to say that a woman can be accused of having s-- with a man and have it be brushed off as ‘a joke’ just because she proclaimed a platonic love for their politics and leadership style. The ruling is totally dishonest and misogynistic. It’s truly an attack on women and the truth."
The suit sought over $150 million in compensation, according to Deadline, though the ruling ended the case before it reached trial.