Newsmax settles defamation suit with Dominion

Newsmax will pay Dominion 67 million to settle defamation claims over 2020 election coverage, avoiding a trial without an apology or retraction.

Newsmax settles defamation suit with Dominion for 67 million

The settlement shows Newsmax will pay Dominion Voting Systems 67 million in three installments by January 2027, ending a high profile defamation lawsuit tied to claims that the 2020 election was rigged. Newsmax said it believes it acted within professional standards, while Dominion welcomed the resolution through a regulatory filing. The agreement avoids a public trial and the courtroom drama that could have followed.

Earlier in the case, Dominion alleged that Newsmax manufactured and broadcast false claims about fraud and kickbacks. The matter has already seen related actions, including Dominion’s $787.5 million settlement with Fox News in 2023 and Newsmax’s prior 40 million settlement with Smartmatic. A Delaware judge previously ruled Newsmax had defamed Dominion, but a jury must determine whether the conduct involved actual malice.

This settlement underscores the rising cost of spreading election misinformation and the growing willingness of courts to hold media outlets financially responsible. It also reflects how financial consequences can shape newsroom risk and decision making, even when outlets claim they were pursuing balanced coverage. The absence of an apology or retraction in the deal signals a boundary line between accountability and public messaging that some readers will interpret as a compromise on credulity. As other outlets face similar legal exposure, the episode tests how much pressure the sector will tolerate before coverage shifts toward caution rather than confrontation.

Highlights

The price of unchecked claims is rising in public life.