Former US President Donald Trump has been found to be in breach of a British High Court order to pay £300,000 in legal costs to former MI6 agent Christopher Steele. Steele was the former spy who compiled the infamous dossier alleging Russian interference in the 2016 US election.
According to sources, Trump has failed to comply with the costs order issued in February after the High Court dismissed his attempt to sue Steele’s company, Orbis Business Intelligence. The former president alleged that the dossier, which included unverified claims of bribery and the use of sex workers during a trip to Moscow, contained inaccuracies and violated his rights under the Data Protection Act.
However, the judge, Mrs Justice Steyn, did not make any judgement on the allegations but ruled the claim invalid due to the six-year limitation period. Trump was also denied leave to appeal. As per the judge’s order, Trump paid £10,000 to the court as security against costs, which was later transferred to Mr Steele in February.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Steele stated, “The fact is we were awarded a £300,000 initial cost order in February, which was confirmed when his right of appeal was turned down at the end of March. And so he’s been in breach of that order for two months now.”
He added, “Cost is the key issue in all litigation, and particularly in what we call lawfare, which we think this is. It is an attempt to take vengeance against us or to keep us quiet.”
Mr Steele further explained that the dossier was commissioned by Trump’s political opponents, including Hillary Clinton’s Democratic Party, and was not meant for publication. It was leaked to the media after the election by a conservative politician, without Mr Steele’s knowledge or permission.
Trump has repeatedly denied the allegations and stands by the sources used in the dossier. However, Mr Steele says that he has no means of recouping his costs from UK assets owned by Trump, as his golf courses in Scotland are held in trust structures. If Trump does not settle the costs, Mr Steele’s only option would be to seek repayment in the US, incurring further expenses.
“We’re talking about perhaps the next president of the US here, who is running for office and claims to love and respect the UK, and in fact is treating our legal system with contempt,” Mr Steele expressed. “I think he’s trying to put off a lot of these legal cases and these fines and these costs until after what he thinks will be his re-election in November, in which case he will just tell us all to go and jump, basically.”
Trump’s press secretary and his private office have not responded to Sky News’ request for comment. However, following the initial judgment, a spokesperson for the former president told the BBC that he will continue to fight against the false allegations made by Steele and his cohorts.
“The High Court in London has found that there was not even an attempt by Christopher Steele, or his group, to justify or try to prove, which they absolutely cannot, their false and defamatory allegations in the fake ‘dossier,” the spokesperson stated.
This revelation of Trump’s breach of a UK court order comes after he became the first US president to be convicted of a felony. He was found guilty of charges relating to hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels last week. Trump is currently appealing the verdict and also faces three other live legal proceedings in the US leading up to November’s election. If he were to be re-elected, it raises the possibility of him returning to the UK as president in defiance of a British court.