Newsmax to Pay $67 Million in Defamation Settlement with Dominion Voting Systems

Newsmax, the conservative media network, has reached a $67 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems to avoid a trial in a defamation lawsuit over false claims that the 2020 U.S. presidential election was fraudulent [1]. The lawsuit was originally filed in 2021 and sought $1.6 billion in damages. The settlement was finalized in stages, with $27 million paid on August 15, 2025, and two additional $20 million payments scheduled for 2026 and 2027 [1].

Dominion had accused Newsmax of repeatedly broadcasting unverified and false allegations that the company had manipulated the 2020 election results to favor then-President Joe Biden. Internal communications revealed that Newsmax executives were aware the claims were baseless. For instance, host Bob Sellers asked in December 2020, “How long are we going to play along with election fraud?” [1]. The network retracted some of the most extreme allegations in December 2020 but continued to promote the conspiracy theories in later coverage.

A Dominion spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the resolution, stating, “We are pleased to have settled this matter.” Newsmax, however, maintained that its coverage was “fair, balanced, and conducted within professional standards of journalism” [1]. CEO Christopher Ruddy also described the legal actions against Newsmax and other conservative media as an attack on free speech and the press.

This settlement is the second significant legal resolution for Dominion in recent years involving conservative media. In 2025, Fox News agreed to a $787.5 million settlement with Dominion over similar allegations. Newsmax had previously reached a $40 million settlement with Smartmatic, another voting technology firm, in 2024 [1]. Both companies were targets of pro-Trump conspiracy theories propagated by the networks.

The case underscores the legal risks associated with spreading election misinformation. Despite Newsmax’s editorial defense, the financial settlements reflect the judiciary’s stance against unsubstantiated claims that have undermined public trust in democratic institutions [2]. The broader legal landscape has seen multiple lawsuits brought by Dominion and others fail to find evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.

Internal communications from Newsmax revealed that employees had repeatedly warned against false allegations made by pro-Trump figures such as attorney Sidney Powell. Even Ruddy himself expressed concern about Trump’s association with Powell [1]. These records were part of the evidence that led Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis to rule that Newsmax defamed Dominion by broadcasting false information about the company and its equipment [1].

The settlement came as Donald Trump continued to push for the elimination of mail-in ballots and voting machines used in the 2020 election, despite no evidence of widespread fraud. Trump’s then-attorney general, William Barr, confirmed there was no such evidence, and numerous recounts and audits across the country corroborated the election results [1].

The Dominion–Newsmax case is part of a larger pattern of legal and political fallout from the post-election period in 2020. It also reflects the continued tension between media organizations, legal accountability, and the spread of misinformation in political discourse [1].

Source:

[1] https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/18/newsmax-dominion-voting-defamation-settlement-00513458

[2] https://www.wavy.com/news/national/newsmax-agrees-to-67-million-settlement-with-dominion-over-2020-voter-fraud-claims/