Old Allegations, New Lawsuit, Growing Political Fallout

A former Trump press secretary has filed a restraining order and fresh lawsuit against a sitting House Republican, reviving a long‑running fight over abuse claims, speech, and political power.

Story Snapshot

Former Trump press secretary Stephanie Grisham filed a temporary restraining order against Rep. Max Miller of Ohio.
Grisham also sued Miller, saying he broke a confidential 2023 settlement by publicly calling her a liar.
Miller had earlier sued Grisham for defamation over her claims that he abused her while they dated.
The dispute now overlaps with separate restraining order requests tied to Miller’s ex‑wife and a heated custody battle.

Former Trump Press Secretary Moves to Block Contact

Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham has asked an Ohio court for a temporary restraining order against Representative Max Miller, a Republican from Ohio who once served as a top Trump aide. Her attorney announced the filing as Miller already faced public pressure over separate abuse allegations by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno. The new request seeks court protection for Grisham personally, adding another formal case to a growing list of legal fights around Miller’s private conduct and public comments.

Attorney Mark Zaid, who represents Grisham, said on social media that his firm filed for a temporary restraining order against Miller and has also served him with a summons, complaint, and discovery requests. He framed the case as part of a domestic violence matter, warning that restraining orders cannot offer complete safety. This public statement signals that Grisham’s team sees Miller as a present risk, not only a past dispute, and that they intend to press him hard in court.

From Washington Post Op‑Ed to Defamation Lawsuit and Settlement

Grisham first went public with her claims years ago, writing in a Washington Post op‑ed that a relationship with a fellow White House staffer “turned abusive,” a person later identified as Miller in court filings and news coverage. Miller responded in 2021 with a defamation lawsuit in Cuyahoga County, saying she lied about him and hurt his then‑active congressional campaign. He asked the judge to stop her from repeating the abuse claims in interviews and other media, but the court refused to issue a temporary restraining order to gag her speech.

The defamation case did not end with a jury ruling on who told the truth. In 2023, Miller voluntarily dismissed the suit with prejudice shortly before trial, after the two sides reached a confidential settlement. Reporting on that deal says both agreed to a non‑disparagement clause, promising not to make negative public statements about each other. That kind of settlement is common when powerful figures try to make damaging stories go away without risking a clear defeat at trial that would lock in the facts.

New Grisham Suit: Claiming Miller Broke the Settlement

Grisham’s latest lawsuit argues that Miller broke the 2023 settlement by publicly attacking her while fighting off separate abuse claims from his ex-wife. The complaint says Miller posted on social media on May 7, 2026 and went on television to accuse Grisham of fabricating events and making false allegations, conduct she says plainly violates their non‑disparagement promise. She is asking the court to order him to delete those posts, stop talking about her, and pay damages and attorney’s fees for breaching the agreement.

This new case shifts the focus from whether the original abuse occurred to whether Miller respects binding contracts and court‑tested limits on his speech. For conservatives who value personal responsibility and the rule of law, the issue is simple: if a congressman signs a confidential deal to end a lawsuit, he should honor it, not break it later when the cameras are rolling. Voters in his district now must weigh not only the allegations but also how he handles legal obligations.

Pattern of Restraining Orders and Domestic Allegations Around Miller

Grisham is not the only woman tied to Miller who has turned to the courts. His ex-wife, Emily Moreno, has alleged in filings and interviews that Miller scalded her with hot water, pointed a gun at her, hit her, and hurt their young daughter, claims he strongly denies. She has pursued civil protection orders and, more recently, asked for a restraining order to keep Miller away from her attorney after describing grabbing incidents outside court hearings in their custody battle. These filings paint a picture of repeated conflict and fear around Miller’s personal conduct.

MS Now: Former WH press secretary Stephanie Grisham filed a temporary restraining order against Rep. Max Miller

Grisham and Miller, who dated in 2019 and 2020, have been involved in a separate legal battle, after Grisham published a 2021 op-ed in the Washington Post describing… pic.twitter.com/eTDxhXF6PS

— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) August 4, 2026

Court records and media reports show Democrats now see Miller’s seat as a possible pickup, using the abuse claims to argue Republicans tolerate dangerous behavior in their ranks. At the same time, some left‑leaning outlets appear eager to make the story about President Trump, trying to smear the broader movement by tying every allegation against a one‑time aide back to the America First agenda. For constitutional conservatives, the key concern is different: making sure due process is honored, speech rights are not abused as weapons, and Congress holds its own members to higher standards of self‑control and respect for the law.