Jessica Denson: Trump Campaign NDA Lawsuit and Class Settlement

Jessica Denson is a former 2016 Trump campaign staffer whose harassment complaint turned into the federal class-action lawsuit that permanently voided the nondisclosure agreements signed by more than 400 workers on Donald Trump’s first presidential campaign. She filed her original discrimination case in 2017, challenged the campaign’s NDA in federal court the following year, and in 2023 secured a settlement that freed at least 422 former staffers, contractors, and volunteers to speak publicly about Trump and the campaign.

Before the Campaign

Denson worked as a journalist, newscaster, and television host before entering politics. She won a Gracie Allen Award from the Alliance for Women in Media and hosted segments including “White House Weekly” for GW-TV. She also acted, with roles in HBO’s “Show Me a Hero,” Hulu’s “Chance,” and CBS’s “Person of Interest.” She holds a bachelor’s degree, graduated summa cum laude, and is fluent in Spanish.

Role on the 2016 Trump Campaign

Denson joined the campaign as a national phone bank administrator in the data division, reporting to director Camilo Sandoval. She was later promoted to lead Hispanic outreach, a move supported by then-campaign CEO Steve Bannon. Court filings say she received positive feedback from senior leadership in the new role, but she was explicitly barred from transitioning into the Trump administration.

The Harassment Allegations

Denson alleged that Sandoval harassed and discriminated against her throughout her time on the campaign. In her 2017 complaint, she said he made inappropriate comments, hired her based on her appearance, and assigned end-of-day work to force her to stay late. After her promotion, Sandoval allegedly told her supervisor he had let his “sheep wander” and warned Denson directly: “I hired you and I can also fire you.”¹

She also described what she called a “rumor campaign,” including emails from Sandoval to senior officials branding her a “security risk” and falsely suggesting she was behind the leak of Trump’s 1995 tax returns. In one message to Stephen Miller, Sandoval reportedly referred to her as “this bitch is out of control.”¹ Denson further alleged that Sandoval tried to access her personal laptop while she was traveling and sought to enlist other staffers in hacking her devices.² Sandoval went on to serve in the Trump administration, including as acting Chief Information Officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs starting in April 2018, and was replaced by a permanent staffer in January 2019.³ No public discipline tied to Denson’s allegations was reported.

The 2017 Lawsuit and the Campaign’s Response

On November 14, 2017, Denson filed a $25 million lawsuit in New York Supreme Court alleging discrimination, harassment, defamation, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.³ The campaign responded on December 20, 2017, by filing a separate arbitration action claiming she had breached her nondisclosure agreement, and sought $1.5 million in damages.¹

The arbitration produced an initial award of roughly $50,000 against Denson for violating the NDA by filing her harassment complaint. The campaign used it to freeze her bank account and targeted $1,200 she had raised through GoFundMe to cover legal expenses. Denson described the pressure as “unbearable” and said the lien “crippled my ability to work.” Campaign lawyers monitored her Twitter account, which had 32 followers, and submitted hundreds of pages of printouts to the court. They deposed her mother, demanded her mental health and medical records, and questioned her about her whereabouts during depositions.¹ An appeals court later threw out the arbitration award, finding the arbitrator had exceeded their authority.⁴

The Federal NDA Case

In March 2018, Denson filed a separate federal lawsuit in Manhattan, initially representing herself, to void the NDA the campaign had used against her. She argued the agreement was being “weaponized” to silence her harassment claims.⁵ In February 2019 she expanded the case into a class action seeking to nullify the NDAs for all 2016 campaign workers.⁶

The NDA was a form contract required of every employee, independent contractor, and volunteer. It contained nondisclosure and non-disparagement clauses meant to bind signers for life, prohibiting them from saying anything negative about Trump, his family, or his businesses, on penalty of significant financial damages.⁷

Judge Gardephe’s 2021 Ruling

On March 30, 2021, U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe of the Southern District of New York issued a 36-page opinion in Denson v. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc. (Case No. 1:20-cv-04737-PGG), granting summary judgment for Denson and declaring the nondisclosure and non-disparagement provisions “invalid and unenforceable.”⁸

The judge found the agreement’s definition of confidential information so broad that “as a practical matter” its scope was “unlimited,” and that “campaign employees are not free to speak about anything concerning the Campaign.”⁸ The agreement had no time limit. Judge Gardephe found the campaign had acted in “bad faith,” using the provisions “to suppress speech that it finds detrimental to its interests” rather than to protect legitimate business information.⁹ He declined the campaign’s request to narrow the clauses and invalidated them outright, while noting that narrower agreements protecting genuinely sensitive material like polling data or fundraising strategies could still be permissible. On standing, he found the campaign’s history of enforcing or threatening the clauses against Denson and other former employees, including Omarosa Manigault Newman and Cliff Sims, established a “pattern of conduct” showing a real threat of future enforcement.¹⁰

The 2023 Class-Action Settlement

Denson was represented by the nonprofit Protect Democracy alongside Bowles & Johnson PLLC and Ballard Spahr LLP.⁷ A proposed class-action settlement was filed in January 2023. The campaign agreed to pay $450,000 and formally conceded that the NDA provisions were “overly broad” and unenforceable. Denson received $25,000, with the rest going to legal fees and costs.¹¹ The campaign tried to keep the terms sealed, but Judge Gardephe denied the request.¹²

Preliminary approval came in June 2023, and a federal judge signed the final order on October 11, 2023.¹³ The settlement permanently voided the NDAs for at least 422 former staffers, contractors, and volunteers, giving them legal freedom to speak about Trump and the campaign without fear of lawsuits or financial penalties.¹⁴ The campaign confirmed it had notified affected individuals in writing that they were no longer bound. Denson said after the settlement: “Democracy dies in fear and silence, but only if we let it. We refused, and we won.”¹⁵

Where Things Stand Now

Denson’s original 2017 state-court discrimination and harassment case (Index No. 101616/17) remains active as a separate proceeding. In January 2026, the Appellate Division of New York’s First Department granted her an extension to perfect her appeal from a lower court order, setting a deadline of the May 2026 term.¹⁶

Outside the courts, Denson founded the Removal Coalition, a grassroots group pressing Congress to pursue impeachment proceedings against Trump and campaigning for lawmakers to invoke House Rule IX to force floor votes on articles of impeachment.¹⁷ On December 12, 2025, Representative Al Green cited Denson on the House floor as the “mother and founder of the Removal Coalition.”¹⁸ She also hosts “Lights On,” a podcast and broadcast on Substack and Civic Media, and as of 2024 has continued working as an actress.¹⁹

1
ProPublica. Trump Campaign Harassment Bullying Lawsuits
2
The Hill. Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Suing Over NDA Accuses Former VA Official
3
Politico. VA Information Officer Camilo Sandoval Accusations
4
The New York Times. Trump Campaign Confidentiality Harassment
5
NBC News. Third Woman Sues to Void Non-Disclosure Agreement Linked to Trump
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The Washington Post. Trump Campaign Loved NDAs. An Ex-Staffer Wants to Nullify Them With Class Action
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Protect Democracy. Denson v. Trump Campaign
8
Courthouse News Service. Judge Voids Trump Campaign’s Unlimited Staffer NDAs
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Politico. Trump Campaign Non-Disclosure Agreement
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Courthouse News Service. Denson v. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., Memorandum Opinion and Order
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The New York Times. Trump Campaign NDA Settlement
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CNBC. Trump Campaign Settles Lawsuit, Voids NDAs
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Newsweek. Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Celebrates Victory, Judge Finalizes NDA Settlement
14
Forbes. Trump NDAs Scrapped, Hundreds of 2016 Campaign Staffers Can Now Publicly Criticize Him
15
Protect Democracy. Victory: Jessica Denson, 2016 Trump NDAs
16
New York Courts. Denson v. Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., 2026 NY Slip Op 60792(U)
17
Removal Coalition. Removal Coalition
18
Citizens Against Tyranny (Substack). Rule IX: The Constitutional Tool
19
19th News. Trump Campaign Worker Harassment