Newsmax has settled a defamation lawsuit with Smartmatic, a voting systems provider, just as jury selection began for a trial related to false claims made about the company’s software following the 2020 election. A spokesperson for Newsmax announced the confidential settlement on Thursday, but did not disclose specific terms.
The lawsuit, part of a broader legal battle involving several conservative media outlets and allies of former President Trump, alleged that Newsmax disseminated unsubstantiated claims of election fraud. Experts noted that a trial loss could have resulted in significant financial liabilities for Newsmax.
This settlement follows similar agreements in high-profile defamation cases, including Fox News’s $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems last year.
However, Newsmax still faces a separate defamation lawsuit from Dominion, keeping the network’s legal challenges ongoing.
