A federal judge on Friday appeared poised to dismiss a lawsuit against President Trump’s proposed library in Miami, citing presidential immunity in blocking the fact-finding pretrial process that is generally required.
The judge, Rodolfo A. Ruiz II of the Federal District Court for the Southern District of Florida, said in his order that Mr. Trump’s immunity defense and other arguments for dismissing the lawsuit were strong enough to to dispense with the fact-finding process, known as discovery, as the president’s defense could “dispose of the entire case.”
Judge Ruiz, who was appointed by Mr. Trump, said he recognized that denying the fact-finding process entirely is “generally disfavored” but that he had broad discretion to do so. He added that he would not burden Mr. Trump and other defendants with discovery, as their argument “may prove to be successful.”
His ruling on Friday signaled that the court could soon dispense with the legal challenge against the plans for Mr. Trump’s skyscraper library in downtown Miami, estimated to cost $1 billion. Like other presidential libraries, Mr. Trump’s would be paid for entirely by private individuals, corporations and organizations.
The library could include a golden escalator like the one Mr. Trump rode down to announce his candidacy in 2015 as well as a gilded statue of Mr. Trump raising a fist. Mr. Trump has said that the development would include businesses such as a hotel and retail stores. It could also hold the $400 million Boeing 747 that Qatar gave Mr. Trump as a replacement for the older Air Force One.
Mr. Trump and Florida were sued in May after the state donated a downtown Miami parcel to the president’s library foundation, which counts the president’s son Eric among its trustees. Once used as a parking lot for Miami-Dade College, the land is now estimated to be worth as much as $300 million.
Nearby residents and a corporation belonging to Marvin Dunn, a historian and activist, brought the lawsuit. They argued that Mr. Trump, his library foundation, the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Florida officials and entities had violated the Constitution’s domestic emoluments clause, which prohibits the president from accepting money or gifts from states.
A 1982 Supreme Court case recognized broad presidential immunity in civil cases for actions taken by presidents in executing their official duties.
In 2024, the court ruled that presidents enjoy substantial immunity from criminal charges as well.
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