Trump Jr. Wins Defamation Lawsuit Brought by Former West Virginia Coal Boss

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the plaintiff had not cleared the high bar required by the 1964 Supreme Court precedent.

Don Blankenship, then-Chairman and CEO of Massey Energy Company, listens during a hearing before the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 20, 2010. Alex Wong/Getty Images

Donald Trump Jr. on Monday landed a victory in an almost five-year-old defamation lawsuit brought against him by former West Virginia coal executive Don Blankenship.

Mr. Blankenship served one year in jail for a misdemeanor safety law violation related to a 2010 explosion at a coal mine that killed 29 miners. In 2019, he waged a series of legal battles on a slew of individuals, media outlets, and the Republican Party’s Senate campaign wing for referring to his penalty as a felony.