Jesse Ventura Was Painted as "Going After a Widow" in His Lawsuit Against Chris Kyle

For years, Jesse Ventura was known to the world as a professional wrestler. Then he was a politician, serving as an Independent in the role of Governor of Minnesota.

And then, abruptly as his rise to fame came and went, he was a normal person again, and mostly out of the spotlight.

Until, that is, a battle with a dead man made headlines.

That dead man: "American Sniper" Chris Kyle, a late member of the Navy SEALs. Before his death, Kyle published a book about his time in the SEALs. And it was what he said in that book that led to a lawsuit between Jesse Ventura and Kyle's estate. Here's what we know about the lawsuit.

In 2012, Kyle published a book titled American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History. In the book, Kyle talked about his experience as a sniper.

Tragically, Kyle died in 2013.

But in 2015, the book was picked up to be made into a film, directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper. The resulting film, American Sniper, was an instant hit.

In the book, however, Kyle talked about his experience at a bar, claiming he punched a man who was later identified as Jesse Ventura.

Ventura filed a lawsuit against him for defamation, claiming that the story damaged his reputation.

Ventura said the story never happened, and continued his lawsuit against Kyle's estate even after his death. But in 2017, Ventura and Kyle's estate settled for an undisclosed amount, according to CBS News.

Ventura faced harsh public backlash for continuing the suit against his estate initially, with people claiming he was "going after a widow" as Kyle's wife was left to deal with the lawsuit through the estate.

However, Ventura later spoke in public, denying the allegations of targeting a widow and expressing that he was relieved when it was over (per Navy Times).

Although the matter of the lawsuit between Ventura and Kyle's estate is settled now, Ventura is no stranger to picking fights with famous people.

And this time, he doesn't seem to care what it does to his reputation.

As the former Governor of predominantly Democratic Minnesota, it's no surprise that Independent-registered Ventura finds himself in opposition to the policies of the administration of President Donald Trump.

But it may be surprising to know the lengths to which the former Governor has gone in his quest to hold Trump and his administration accountable, especially after violence erupted in Minneapolis with the ICE-involved shooting of a mother of three.

On Jan. 9, 2026, Ventura teased the potential for him to return to politics, turning his criticism sharply on Trump and his administration. While standing outside of his alma mater, he explained, "We’re a country of the Constitution. We have leadership now that has destroyed the Constitution. They don’t follow it. They could care less about it. Am I right or wrong? I took an oath to defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic" (via New Jersey.com).

He added, "I view, after January 6, the Republican Party is a domestic enemy to our Constitution. We’re a third-world country now. You want to know why? I’m an expert. I’ve been to them. I spent 17 months in Southeast Asia while the draft dodger was playing golf."

Ventura continued, "And we have a party, the Republicans, who don’t seem to want to abide by the Constitution. January 6 is a prime example of that, and now they’re all free, and they’re in charge."

He then mused, "You know what? Maybe it’s time for Ventura. I only did one term. I’m owed a second.” While it's unclear if Ventura will run for office again, he is well known for being a tough fighter who is unafraid to tackle his opponents on the public stage. Quite literally, as a retired wrestler.

It's unclear if his brand of verbal sparring is what voters are looking for in 2026.