Fact Check: Did Melania Trump win lawsuit against 'The View' for $900M?
WASHINGTON, DC: A rumor involving first lady Melania Trump and 'The View' co-host Sunny Hostin has been making the rounds online. The speculation began after reports surfaced claiming that Melania Trump won a staggering $900 million in a lawsuit against the daytime talk show 'The View'.
The alleged reason behind the lawsuit stems from comments Hostin reportedly made about Melania's marriage to President Donald Trump. But did Hostin actually make such remarks? And did Melania really file a lawsuit?
What did the alleged claim say about Melania Trump's lawsuit?
The rumor began circulating in February 2025, claiming that Melania Trump had won a $900 million defamation lawsuit. It all started with a YouTube video posted on February 1, 2025, titled "Melania Wins $900M 'Defamation Lawsuit' Against The View & Sunny Hostin #melaniatrump #sunnyhostin."
Within just four days, the video had racked up over 280K views, with a flood of comments pouring in.
The video quickly spread across other social media platforms like X and TikTok, accumulating millions of views. Many viewers seemed to buy into the claim, while others expressed skepticism. One commenter wrote, "Those ugly ladies need to go, I can’t stand them! Bravo Melanie! You are strong and beautiful and we’re praying for you!"
Another person added, "Wow ! Good on Melanie . Sunny is hateful person." However, some were doubtful, with one asking, "Is this real?!?" and another questioning, "Is this true or fake news????"
In the video, a voiceover claims, "Sunny Hostin, in her usual smug, self-righteous style, decided to psychoanalyze Melania on live television. She claimed, without a shred of evidence, that Melania hated her husband, Donald Trump, and only stayed with him for financial gain."
It’s important to note, however, that the rumor may have been fueled by real comments Hostin made about the Trumps' marriage in an October 2024 episode of 'The View', where she said, "I think she hates him," in reference to Melania's stance on the overturning of Roe V Wade.
The claim that Melania Trump won a lawsuit against 'The View' is false
As many internet users quickly sought the truth behind the viral claim involving Melania Trump, a deeper search revealed that the story was false.
First, a search using terms like "Melania Trump," "lawsuit," and "The View" showed no credible reports supporting the claim.
Second, no reputable news outlets have reported that Melania Trump won a lawsuit against 'The View'.
According to Snopes, a spokesperson for 'The View' confirmed to fact-checking site Lead Stories via email: "This is not true."
Additionally, some of the accounts sharing the YouTube video included disclaimers stating that the content may not be accurate.
The video’s creator used real footage, such as a 2016 interview with Melania from CNN's Anderson Cooper, but edited and arranged it to falsely support the claim.
The video also included a watermark crediting AI editing and voiceover software, CapCut. These facts prove that the rumor about Melania filing a lawsuit is entirely false.
This article contains remarks made on the internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
