Did Donald Trump settle the Summer Zervos defamation case out of court?

1. What happened: a quiet discontinuance, not a money settlement

Court filings show Zervos’s lawyers filed to discontinue the defamation suit in November 2021 and statements from lawyers for both sides reported the case ended without any monetary payment or apology to Zervos; Trump’s lawyer characterized the move as “prudent” and Zervos’s lawyers said she “has accepted no compensation” ^{[1] [2] [4] [3]}.

2. Why people ask whether it was “settled”

The term “settled” is often used loosely in news reports and public discussion to mean a case ended by agreement rather than a court trial. Contemporary coverage described Zervos as having “ended,” “dropped,” or “settled” the suit, but every major report cited in the record emphasizes that there was no financial settlement — Zervos voluntarily discontinued litigation and retained the right to speak about her experience ^{[4] [3] [2]}.

3. The procedural posture before the discontinuance

Before Zervos stopped litigating, courts had repeatedly rejected efforts to dismiss the case; judges ordered discovery and set a deposition deadline for Trump, and Zervos had refiled after Trump left office so presidential‑immunity arguments would not block the suit ^{[5] [6] [7]}. By October 2021 New York state court deadlines required depositions to be completed by Dec. 23, and Trump faced an expected deposition if the case continued ^[8].

4. What the parties said at the time

Zervos’s lawyers (Beth Wilkinson and Moira Penza) said she “no longer wishes to litigate” and “has secured the right to speak freely about her experience,” and they repeated she had “accepted no compensation” ^{[4] [2]}. Trump’s counsel, Alina Habba, framed the discontinuance as prudent and highlighted that Zervos accepted no settlement payment; Habba had also signaled plans to pursue counterclaims under New York’s anti‑SLAPP law prior to the dismissal ^{[3] [1]}.

5. Conflicting or missing details in reporting

News outlets broadly agree on the core facts — the suit ended and Zervos did not receive money — but some pieces used different verbs (dropped, ended, settled, discontinued). These stylistic differences can create confusion about whether a confidential settlement existed. Available sources do not mention any secret or undisclosed monetary payment beyond the consistent statements that no compensation or legal fees were paid ^{[2] [1] [3]}. If a claim asserts otherwise, that claim is not found in current reporting.

6. Broader context and legal implications

The Zervos case had survived multiple procedural hurdles, including appellate rulings that a sitting president could be sued in state court on private‑conduct claims; the litigation raised questions about presidential immunity and about how discovery proceeds when a high‑profile defendant resists depositions ^{[6] [5]}. By discontinuing the suit before depositions, the practical effect was to spare Trump from the scheduled in‑court testimony, though Zervos’s counsel emphasized she retained the right to speak publicly about her allegations ^{[4] [8]}.

7. How to read later references to “settlement”

When sources later call the case “settled,” read the coverage closely: the contemporaneous record repeatedly states there was no payment. Multiple reputable outlets — Reuters, BBC, AP, Courthouse News and The Hill — all reported the discontinuance and explicitly noted there was no compensation to Zervos ^{[1] [2] [9] [3] [4]}. Use direct quotes from the parties or court filings to avoid the ambiguity of the word “settled” in casual use.

8. Takeaway for your question

Did Trump “settle” the Zervos defamation case out of court? The available reporting says the case was discontinued in an out‑of‑trial manner and that Zervos received no payment or apology; news organizations described it as ending without compensation rather than a traditional paid settlement ^{[1] [2] [3]}. If you encounter claims of a secret monetary settlement, those claims are not documented in the sources provided here ^{[2] [1]}.