the standard for defamation of a political candidate or public official is along the lines of NYT v. Sullivan, which is approximately like this.... “actual knowledge of falsity or reckless disregard of same”
and that’s almost impossible for a plaintiff to prove in most cases, and as a voluntary public figure there’s no question but that DT would have the burden of proof
besides, it usually takes years for such a claim, or almost any real case nowadays for that matter, to work its way through the courts (ask Barry Goldwater, for instance, his 1964 case didn’t get decided until some four or five years later and then there was appeal...) point being, 99 percent of the litigation threat is just “I will consume your firm’s legal defense budget”...
FYI.
I wonder if there are a couple hot mike recordings that could go to actual knowledge or reckless disregard standards.
TWB