Donald Trump’s upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom later this month is expected to revive a legal confrontation with former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele after a High Court ordered the payment of more than £600,000 in costs to Steele’s company.
The costs were awarded in April to Orbis Business Intelligence, the firm founded by Steele, following Mr Trump’s unsuccessful attempt to sue over material in a dossier Steele compiled that included an allegation Russia possessed compromising sexual material relating to the U.S. president. Mr Trump had described the claims as "shocking and scandalous." The award has not been paid and is increasing daily; reports say it will have risen by about £2,000 by the time Mr Trump arrives in London.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are due to host President Trump and his wife, Melania, at Windsor Castle from Sept. 17 to Sept. 19, with a state banquet as the centrepiece of the visit. The House of Commons will be in recess at the time, a scheduling circumstance that removes the possibility of the president addressing Parliament during the trip.
The legal dispute stems from work carried out by Steele, a former MI6 officer, which became widely known after a dossier he compiled contained allegations about Mr Trump’s links to Russia. Mr Trump brought legal proceedings challenging the dossier’s contents; the High Court subsequently dismissed his claim and ordered him to pay costs to Steele’s company. The April judgment determined the legal costs due to Orbis Business Intelligence but did not alter the underlying factual allegations in public reporting.
Steele’s dossier played a prominent role in public discussion of Mr Trump’s conduct and alleged contacts with Russia during and after the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The dossier’s publication and the subsequent investigations and legal actions have been the subject of extensive media coverage and court scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic.
The unresolved costs add a new dimension to the state visit, which will include formal ceremonial elements and diplomatic engagements. British officials have been preparing the itinerary for the royal-hosted events at Windsor Castle; the inclusion of a state banquet is a notable mark of ceremonial honour reserved for visiting heads of state.
Legal observers and commentators have noted that the presence in London of both the plaintiff and the defendant in a high-profile cross-border dispute may prompt renewed media attention and potential further legal filings. The outstanding costs are being reported as continuing to accrue interest or additional fees as the payment remains unsettled.
Representatives for Mr Trump and for Steele were not quoted in the reporting that first detailed the outstanding costs ahead of the visit. The High Court’s April order stands as the most recent judicial determination publicly reported concerning the litigation between the two men.
The state visit is expected to proceed as scheduled unless there are intervening developments. The combination of a high-profile diplomatic itinerary and unresolved litigation between the visiting head of state and a British citizen means the trip will be watched closely by British and international media alike.