Trump Sues Des Moines Register Over Poll Results, Accusing “Brazen Election Interference”
President-elect Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Des Moines Register newspaper, its parent company, and former pollster J. Ann Selzer, accusing them of “brazen election interference” over a poll published days before the 2024 presidential election. The November 2 poll suggested that Democratic nominee Kamala Harris would win Iowa, a state Trump had won in 2020 by more than eight points.
Trump’s legal action follows his recent victory in a defamation case against ABC News, which settled for $15 million after anchor George Stephanopoulos falsely stated Trump was liable for rape (Trump was liable for sexual abuse). In the lawsuit against the Des Moines Register, Trump claims that Selzer intentionally skewed the poll in favor of Harris, which he argues was not a mistake but an attempt to influence the election outcome. He also criticizes “left-wing pollsters” for manipulating data, although the lawsuit does not provide evidence for this broader claim.
Trump is seeking financial damages, coverage of his legal fees, and demands that the newspaper disclose all the data used for the poll. The Des Moines Register has defended its reporting, asserting that it released all relevant data and stands by its poll despite the discrepancy with the election results. The case is part of Trump’s broader combative relationship with the media, which has included previous lawsuits against CNN, the Washington Post, and the New York Times
