Newsmax, a prominent conservative media network, has agreed to pay $67 million to Dominion Voting Systems in a settlement that marks yet another chapter in the ongoing legal fallout from the 2020 U.S. presidential election. The settlement, disclosed in a financial filing on August 18, 2025, resolves a defamation lawsuit accusing Newsmax of spreading false claims about Dominion’s role in President Donald Trump’s election loss.
This agreement comes on the heels of similar high-profile settlements. In 2023, Fox News Channel paid $787.5 million to Dominion to settle a comparable lawsuit, while Newsmax itself previously paid $40 million to Smartmatic, another voting-machine manufacturer, in a separate libel suit. According to CNN, the $67 million Newsmax settlement stipulates that $27 million will be paid this month, with the remaining amount to be disbursed over the next two years.
The lawsuit against Newsmax was initially filed in August 2021, following a tumultuous period after Trump’s defeat. As the dust settled from the 2020 election, Trump and many of his allies, including frequent Newsmax guests and hosts, promoted unfounded allegations of widespread voting fraud. Dominion, whose voting equipment was used in numerous states, became a central target of these conspiracy theories.
Delaware Superior Court Judge Eric Davis, who presided over the case, had previously ruled that Newsmax did indeed defame Dominion by broadcasting false information about the company and its voting machines. While the judge left the question of malice and the determination of damages to a jury, the parties reached a settlement before the trial could proceed. Judge Davis had also presided over the Dominion-Fox News case, finding it “CRYSTAL clear” that the allegations aired were untrue, and noting that internal communications at the networks revealed knowledge that the claims were baseless.
Internal documents unsealed during the litigation shed light on Newsmax’s editorial decisions. As reported by the Associated Press, the network’s staff and executives recognized that the 2020 election fraud claims lacked merit. In one revealing moment, Newsmax host Bob Sellers asked, “How long are we going to play along with election fraud?” just two days after the election was called for Joe Biden. The internal correspondence also showed that Newsmax, which had refrained from calling the election for Biden, saw a business opportunity in appealing to viewers who believed Trump had won.
Despite warnings from its own employees about the credibility of pro-Trump guests—such as attorney Sidney Powell, who was a prominent voice in advancing false theories—Newsmax continued to air segments promoting the notion that Dominion’s machines were part of a plot, allegedly involving the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, to rig the election for Biden. Even Chris Ruddy, Newsmax’s owner and a Trump ally, expressed concern, reportedly calling it “scary” that Trump was meeting with Powell. Some of the more outrageous claims were retracted by the network in December 2020, but the damage was done.
Newsmax, in a statement accompanying the settlement, maintained, “Newsmax believed it was critically important for the American people to hear both sides of the election disputes that arose in 2020. We stand by our coverage as fair, balanced, and conducted within professional standards of journalism.” Dominion, for its part, expressed satisfaction with the resolution. “We are pleased that this matter has been settled,” a spokesperson said, according to CNN.
The settlement’s disclosure coincided with a renewed push by Donald Trump, who posted on social media on August 18, 2025, vowing to eliminate mail-in ballots and voting machines like those supplied by Dominion. The practicality of such a move remains unclear, but the timing underscored the ongoing divisiveness of the election fraud narrative within U.S. politics.
It’s worth noting that official investigations and recounts have consistently debunked claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Trump’s own attorney general, William Barr, publicly stated that there was no evidence to support such allegations. Recounts, reviews, and audits—many conducted by Republican-led bodies—affirmed Joe Biden’s victory and found no significant irregularities. Trump and his legal team filed dozens of lawsuits contesting the results, but these were routinely dismissed, often by judges he himself had appointed.
Nevertheless, the fallout from the false claims has been profound. The lawsuits brought by Dominion and Smartmatic have exposed how business interests and political alignments influenced editorial decisions at major news organizations. At Fox News, private communications revealed that hosts and executives doubted the veracity of the fraud claims even as they were broadcast to millions. Similarly, Newsmax’s internal discussions highlighted the tension between journalistic integrity and audience demand.
The legal battles have also had broader implications. In the wake of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, Trump pardoned individuals involved in efforts to halt the transfer of power and directed his Justice Department to investigate officials, like Chris Krebs, who vouched for the election’s security. Earlier this year, as the Dominion-Newsmax trial date approached, Trump issued an executive order targeting the law firm Susman Godfrey, which represented Dominion, barring government business with its clients and staff. A federal judge intervened, calling the order “a shocking abuse of power.”
Newsmax has not shied away from criticizing the legal process. The network alleged that Judge Eric Davis, who presided over the case, would not provide a fair trial, suggesting—without evidence—that the judge was biased because Newsmax’s reporting was “not always favorable to Joe Biden.” The preliminary hearing scheduled for April 2025 was postponed for reasons unrelated to the case, and ultimately the parties opted to settle rather than proceed to trial.
For media organizations, the settlements serve as a stark reminder of the legal and financial risks associated with amplifying unfounded claims. The combined cost to Fox News, Newsmax, and others has reached well over $800 million, reflecting the seriousness with which courts and the public now regard misinformation about elections.
As the dust settles on the latest legal battle, the episode leaves both the media and the public grappling with questions about responsibility, accountability, and the role of journalism in a polarized society. The Newsmax-Dominion settlement stands as a cautionary tale for news outlets navigating the treacherous waters of political controversy and public trust.
