Trump FBI Director Takes A Nasty Loss

A federal judge has dismissed FBI Director Kash Patel’s defamation lawsuit against blogger and podcaster Jim Stewartson, ending a legal battle that began in 2023 over a series of social media posts criticizing Patel.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Gordon ruled that the Nevada federal court lacked jurisdiction over the case, throwing out Patel’s $10 million lawsuit and vacating a previous default judgment that had awarded him $250,000 after Stewartson failed to respond to the original complaint.

Patel initially sued Stewartson over posts accusing him of participating in efforts related to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and using a string of insulting descriptions, including calling him “blatantly incompetent” and other derogatory names. Because Stewartson did not initially appear in court, Patel secured a default judgment in 2025.

Stewartson later challenged that ruling, arguing he is a California resident with no meaningful connection to Nevada and that his online posts were not directed at readers in the state. Judge Gordon agreed that the Nevada court did not have authority to hear the case, leading to the dismissal.

The court’s written opinion included several of the disputed statements as part of the legal record, including one of Stewartson’s more colorful insults directed at Patel. Following the ruling, Stewartson celebrated the decision on social media, arguing it was a victory for free speech.

The dismissal comes as Patel is also pursuing a separate $250 million defamation lawsuit against The Atlantic over an article alleging excessive drinking and erratic behavior. The magazine has asked the court to dismiss that case, arguing the claims are protected under the First Amendment and lack legal merit.