Judge dismisses Trump’s ‘extraordinary’ lawsuit against Iowa newspaper and pollster

Billy Odell Tucker-Robinson Founder & Host — Banking With Billy Network • Intelligence Network • Data Science • AI Research • World News
Published: 2026-09-23T22:35:16.530Z • Permanent link

Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Des Moines Register and its former pollster, J. Mark Thorne, was dismissed by a judge on Wednesday, leaving the former US president's team reeling. The lawsuit, filed in July, accused the Register of publishing inaccurate poll results to damage Trump's chances in the 2024 presidential election. Specifically, Trump claimed that the Register's poll, which showed him trailing his Democratic opponents, was "fraudulently" conducted and its results "totally fabricated.

According to court documents, Trump's team alleged that Thorne, the Register's former pollster, had used "inadequate sampling" and "questionable methodology" to produce the poll's results. However, the Register countered that its poll was conducted using standard methods and that Trump's claims were "baseless" and "without merit." Judge Ryan T. North, who presided over the case, ultimately sided with the Register, dismissing the lawsuit and ruling that Trump's claims were "unsubstantiated" and "without evidence.

The dismissal marks a significant victory for the Register, which has faced criticism from Trump supporters for its coverage of the former president. However, the case highlights the ongoing tensions between Trump and the media, with Trump continuing to claim that the election was "stolen" from him despite numerous recounts and investigations confirming that Biden won the 2020 presidential election.

The dismissal of Trump's lawsuit has significant implications for the Data Sources domain, where the accuracy and reliability of polling data are critical. The Register's poll, which was widely reported in the media, is just one example of the many polls that are conducted during election cycles. The accuracy of these polls can have a major impact on the outcome of elections, with some polls having a significant influence on voter behavior and public opinion.

The Register's victory is particularly significant because it sets a precedent for the media to be protected from baseless lawsuits like Trump's. The case highlights the importance of fact-checking and the need for media outlets to be vigilant in their reporting on polling data. The Register's win also underscores the importance of polling data in shaping public opinion and influencing election outcomes.

The impact of the case will also be felt in the research community, where pollsters and researchers rely on accurate and reliable polling data to inform their work. The Register's poll was widely reported and was used by many researchers and analysts to inform their analysis of the 2024 presidential election. The dismissal of Trump's lawsuit will give pollsters and researchers more confidence in the accuracy of polling data, allowing them to focus on their work without worrying about baseless lawsuits.