A district judge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump against the Des Moines Register, its parent company USA Today Co. (formerly Gannett), and pollster Ann Selzer. The lawsuit alleged that a pre-election poll conducted by the outlet constituted consumer fraud.

In his ruling, Judge Scott Beatle rejected the legal theory presented by the plaintiff. The court determined that attempting to apply consumer fraud statutes to political polling and media coverage is not a valid legal argument. The judge emphasized that political speech is protected, effectively shutting down the attempt to hold the media organization liable for the accuracy of its polling data through this specific legal channel.

This case is viewed as a significant early test for a broader strategy involving litigation against media organizations. Donald Trump has frequently signaled an intent to use the court system to challenge news coverage he disputes. By dismissing the case, the court has signaled a reluctance to allow consumer protection laws to be used as a mechanism to penalize media outlets for their reporting or polling results. The ruling underscores the high legal bar required to successfully sue media entities for their editorial or data-driven content.