Donald Trump

Judge David Middlebrooks said in his judgment that Trump was “a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries”.

He added: “He is the mastermind of strategic abuse of the judicial process, and he cannot be seen as a litigant blindly following the advice of a lawyer. He knew full well the impact of his actions.”

“As such, I find that sanctions should be imposed upon Mr Trump and his lead counsel, Ms Habba,” wrote the judge.

Mr Trump had sued Ms Clinton for allegedly “acting in concert” with leaders of the FBI to invent what became known as the Russia investigation into interference in the 2016 election.

He had argued that the Russia probe was “prolonged and exacerbated by the presence of a small faction of Clinton loyalists who were well-positioned within the Department of Justice”.

But Judge Middlebrooks dismissed the lawsuit in September.

His sanctions, issued late yesterday, direct that Ms Habba and Mr Trump pay $938,000 to 18 defendants in the case.

“A continuing pattern of misuse of the courts by Mr Trump and his lawyers undermines the rule of law, portrays judges as partisans, and diverts resources from those who have suffered actual legal harm,” the judge wrote in his opinion.