Donald Trump‘s State visit to the UK later this month is set to reignite his extraordinary legal battle with the former British spy who claimed that Russia possessed compromising sexual material on the US President.
Christopher Steele, the ex-MI6 agent behind the incendiary dossier, was awarded more than £600,000 in costs against Mr Trump after the President’s unsuccessful attempt to sue him over what he insisted were ‘shocking and scandalous’ false claims.
The costs, which were awarded to Mr Steele’s company, Orbis Business Intelligence, at a High Court hearing in April, have yet to be paid and are rising daily.
They will have increased by a further £2,000 by the time Mr Trump touches down in London.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are hosting the President and his wife, Melania, at Windsor Castle between September 17 and 19, with a State banquet as the glittering centrepiece.
The Commons will be in recess at the time, neatly avoiding the controversy which would likely have been sparked by Mr Trump addressing Parliament.
The dossier, produced for Mr Trump’s defeated Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, became one of the most controversial aspects of the FBI’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US election which led to a probe by special counsel Robert Mueller.
Hugh Tomlinson KC argued at the hearing that Mr Trump ‘suffered personal and reputational damage and distress’ over claims in the dossier that he had taken part in sex parties in St Petersburg and had consorted with sex workers in Moscow.
Ex-MI6 agent Christopher Steele was awarded more than £600,000 in costs against Donald Trump after the President’s unsuccessful attempt to sue him over ‘shocking and scandalous’ false claims
Hugh Tomlinson KC insisted the claims about the personal conduct of President Trump were false, as were allegations that he had paid bribes to Russian officials to further his business interests
King Charles and Queen Camilla are hosting the President and his wife, Melania, at Windsor Castle later this month
Mr Tomlinson insisted the claims about the personal conduct of President Trump were false, as were allegations that he had paid bribes to Russian officials to further his business interests.
Orbis Business Intelligence succeeded in having the lawsuit thrown out after arguing that the report had never been meant to be made public and was published by the media without permission.
Mr Trump brought up the subject of Mr Steele during a press conference during an informal visit to the UK in July.
A Government insider said yesterday: ‘Trump still hasn’t abided by the court order. And our understanding is when he sets foot on British soil, he could be open to some form of fresh legal challenge. The whole thing could turn into a diplomatic nightmare.’
Orbis Business Intelligence declined to comment.
