Newsmax did not offer an apology for its alleged role in spreading baseless conspiracy theories, insisting instead that its coverage is “fair, balanced and conducted within professional standards of journalism.”
Newsmax has agreed to pay $67 million to settle a libel lawsuit filed on behalf of Dominion Voting Systems, a technology company that became fodder for conservative conspiracy theories after President Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020 general election.
According to The New York Times, the details of the settlement were finalized on August 15 before being disclosed in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.
If the agreement is approved by the court, Newsmax will pay a total of $67 million to Dominion in three separate installments. The terms of the settlement indicate that these payments should be completed no later than January 15, 2027.
A spokesperson for Dominion has since confirmed the settlement.
“We are pleased to have settled this matter,” Dominion told The New York Times.
Newsmax did not offer an apology for its alleged role in spreading baseless conspiracy theories, insisting instead that its coverage is “fair, balanced and conducted within professional standards of journalism.”
A spokesperson for Newsmax emphasized that the settlement does not require any admission of wrongdoing and that Newsmax will neither make an apology nor issue a retraction.
Dominion first filed its claim against Newsmax in 2021.
In initial filings, Dominion sought more than $1 billion in damages, arguing that Newsmax broadcast election-related conspiracy theories that it knew were almost certainly false.
The lawsuit provided 18 examples of false statements made on-air, including claims that Dominion had rigged the election in favor of Joe Biden and that it had paid bribes to high-ranking government officials.
More unusually, and even less plausibly, Newsmax coverage also suggested that Dominion had previously manipulated elections in Venezuela.
“The defendants named show no remorse, nor any sign they intend to stop spreading disinformation,” Dominion CEO John Poulos said in a 2021 statement announcing the lawsuit. “We have no choice but to seek to hold those responsible to account.”
Dominion has targeted other conservative networks for spreading baseless claims.
In April of 2023, for instance, Fox News agreed to pay Dominion about $787.5 million to resolve a defamation case related to election conspiracy theories. Before that case was resolved, Dominion purportedly obtained evidence that Fox’s own fact-checkers had found no compelling evidence of ballot manipulation; text messages uncovered in discovery further revealed widespread frustration with Trump’s claims of election fraud.
“We’re all pretending we’ve got a lot to show for it, because admitting what a disaster it’s been is too tough to digest,” former Fox host Tucker Carlson wrote in one text message. “But come on. There really isn’t an upside to Trump.”
Smartmatic, another election technology company that secured its own $40 million settlement from Newsmax late last year, is continuing to press voting-related defamation claims against Fox. That case is schedule to move to trial in a New York court unless an agreement is reached.
Sources
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Newsmax Will Pay $67 Million to Settle Dominion Defamation Lawsuit
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