Loomer’s Trump Defamation Suit Against HBO, Maher Dismissed

April 23, 2026, 2:56 PM UTC

Conservative influencer Laura Loomer’s defamation suit against HBO and comedian Bill Maher over speculation about a sexual relationship with Donald Trump was dismissed by a federal court.

Maher’s comments, made on his TV show in September 2024, were jokes and not statements of fact on which someone could bring a defamation claim, US District Court for the Middle District of Florida Judge James S. Moody Jr. said Wednesday. But even if Maher’s speculation was a statement of fact, the news surrounding Loomer and Trump leading up to the 2024 election would save Maher from a jury verdict.

Given Loomer’s repeated ...

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