Rudy Giuliani, once celebrated as "America’s mayor" for his leadership of New York City after the September 11 attacks, has reached a confidential settlement with Dominion Voting Systems in a $1.3 billion defamation lawsuit that stemmed from his widely publicized claims of election fraud following the 2020 presidential election. The agreement, filed in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 26, 2025, marks a significant chapter in a saga that has seen Giuliani, a former personal lawyer to President Donald Trump, face mounting legal and financial woes.
The lawsuit, originally filed by Dominion in January 2021, accused Giuliani of orchestrating what the company described as a "viral disinformation campaign" made up of more than 50 demonstrably false statements. According to The Hill and AP, these statements were made across legislative hearings, social media, Giuliani’s podcast, and conservative news outlets, all alleging—without evidence—that Dominion had conspired to manipulate votes in favor of Democrat Joe Biden. Dominion, one of the largest voting machine manufacturers in the United States, provided equipment for the state of Georgia, a critical battleground that Biden won and which ultimately flipped control of the U.S. Senate.
According to Benzinga, court filings show both parties agreed to a "dismissal of all claims and causes of action asserted in this matter by Dominion against Giuliani with prejudice." This means the case is permanently closed and cannot be refiled. Each side will cover its own legal expenses, but the precise financial terms of the settlement remain undisclosed. Spokespeople for both Giuliani and Dominion confirmed the agreement but declined to provide further details, citing confidentiality.
Dominion’s lawsuit was part of a broader legal pushback against those who spread baseless conspiracy theories about the 2020 election. The company has pursued several high-profile defamation cases, including a $787 million settlement with Fox Corp. in April 2023 and a $67 million settlement with Newsmax in 2025, as reported by AP. Dominion’s actions have been widely seen as an effort to restore its reputation and address the severe consequences of false claims, which included not only business headaches but also death threats against election officials and widespread calls to ban voting machines.
The impact of the conspiracy theories that followed the 2020 election cannot be overstated. As AP noted, these claims undermined public confidence in U.S. elections, fueled partisan distrust, and led to real-world threats against those tasked with upholding the integrity of the vote. Despite the fervor, Trump’s former attorney general and other officials found no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Yet, the narrative persisted, with Giuliani at the forefront, insisting that Dominion’s systems were susceptible to manipulation and had played a role in Trump’s defeat.
Giuliani’s legal troubles have mounted in parallel with the fallout from his election fraud claims. Earlier in September 2025, a New York judge ordered him to pay $1.36 million plus interest to his former defense attorney’s firm for unpaid legal bills—a ruling that came just over a week before the Dominion settlement was finalized, according to AP and The Hill. This is just one piece of a much larger pattern of financial distress: Giuliani has filed for bankruptcy, been disbarred as an attorney in both New York and Washington, D.C., and has faced multiple lawsuits related to his post-election activities.
In January 2025, Giuliani settled a separate $148 million case involving two Georgia election workers whom he had falsely accused of helping to steal the 2020 election. The terms of that settlement, like the Dominion agreement, were not disclosed. The two workers had previously sought to seize Giuliani’s assets after his bankruptcy case was dismissed last year, highlighting the extraordinary financial pressure he has faced as a result of his actions.
Dominion’s suit against Giuliani was particularly notable for its scope and the breadth of evidence it cited. The company’s complaint detailed more than 50 separate false statements made by Giuliani, ranging from televised interviews to posts on social media and direct testimony before legislative bodies. Dominion asserted that these repeated claims were not only false but had been made with reckless disregard for the truth, causing lasting harm to the company’s reputation and business prospects.
The broader context of Dominion’s legal campaign illustrates a changing landscape for accountability in the realm of political misinformation. The company’s settlements with Fox News, Newsmax, and now Giuliani send a clear signal: there are significant legal and financial risks associated with making and amplifying baseless claims about election integrity. As AP reported, the company’s legal victories have not only provided some measure of vindication but have also contributed to a larger national conversation about the consequences of disinformation and the importance of protecting the democratic process.
For Giuliani, the settlement represents another dramatic fall from grace. Once hailed for his leadership and legal acumen, he now finds himself at the center of a web of lawsuits, financial liabilities, and professional setbacks. In addition to his disbarment and bankruptcy, Giuliani was recently injured in a New Hampshire car crash, adding to a litany of personal and professional challenges in recent years, as noted by The New York Times.
Despite the intense public scrutiny and the high-profile nature of the case, neither Giuliani nor Dominion has made any public comments about the terms or implications of the settlement. Giuliani, known for his outspoken political persona, has remained silent on social media regarding the outcome, while Dominion has simply confirmed the agreement and declined further comment.
The permanent dismissal of Dominion’s lawsuit against Giuliani closes one chapter in the ongoing legal battles over the 2020 election, but it leaves open broader questions about accountability, misinformation, and the resilience of American democracy. The repercussions of the post-election conspiracy theories continue to reverberate across the political landscape, serving as a cautionary tale for those who would seek to undermine public trust in the electoral process.
As the dust settles, the legacy of these legal battles will likely shape the contours of election discourse for years to come, reminding all parties—regardless of political affiliation—that the truth still matters, and that there are real consequences for those who would seek to distort it for personal or political gain.
