https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/defamation https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/defamation For defamation, you need four things: a false statement of fact made to a

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/defamation https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/defamation For defamation, you need four things: a false statement of fact made to a third party causing actual harm, that demonstrates at least negligence. For public figures, the "at least negligence" rises to "actual malice"; I believe the intention is to prevent public figures from abusing defamation suits. Note that "lying", saying something that you know to be false or with "reckless disregard" for whether it is false, is pretty much the definition of "actual malice" in this case. You cannot lie without repercussion.