Newman faces a 2019 Justice Department lawsuit alleging that she did not file a financial disclosure report after Trump fired her.
His lawyers tried to depose Trump because they alleged that the administration sued the former “Apprentice” candidate for Trump’s personal retaliation.
But DC District Court Judge Richard Leon wrote on Wednesday that Newman had not filed a case strong enough that she could obtain the information necessary for her defense of Trump and the top officials around her. Even though Trump left the White House, he and his top advisers still have some protection, Leon decided.
He added that the former president and cabinet-level officials can be protected by this standard. “The defendant did not bear the burden of demonstrating that deposing former President Trump is appropriate. Unfortunately for the defendant, even assuming that former President Trump has firsthand knowledge of how this case was referred to the Department of Justice, this information is irrelevant to any claim or defense in this case, “wrote Leon.
However, Leon said Newman’s legal defense team could testify a Justice Department attorney who had spoken to her about her document boxes kept at the White House.