U.S. District Judge James Moody dismissed Laura Loomer's defamation lawsuit against comedian Bill Maher in an 18-page ruling. Loomer had sued over an on-air comment insinuating she had an affair with President Donald Trump. Maher and HBO were co-defendants in the case.

The comment was made during a September 2024 broadcast. Maher referenced a prior editorial speculating about who Trump was sleeping with, using a vulgarity. "We did an editorial here a few years ago…it was basically, who's Trump f------?" Maher said. "I think it might be Laura Loomer."

Moody noted in his ruling that Loomer had not suffered any reputational or financial harm from Maher's comments. Loomer testified that her income increased in 2024 compared to previous years, and Trump has continued to solicit her opinions and invite her to the White House.

Maher testified that he made the joke based on Loomer and Trump's sudden closeness in the news that week. "It's just — this is just comedy. This is — these are jokes," he said in his testimony.

Loomer said the ruling should be reversed on appeal at the Eleventh Circuit and at the Supreme Court if necessary. Loomer has established herself as a close ally of Trump.

She attended a presidential debate with him, joined him at a 9/11 memorial, and traveled on his private plane. During Trump's first administration, she was banned from social media, ride-sharing, and payment apps over her anti-Muslim posts. She has promoted a conspiracy theory that the September 11 attacks were an inside job and a baseless story that Haitian immigrants eat cats.