WP Engine has filed a third amended complaint in its U.S. federal lawsuit against Automattic and WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg. The new filing includes previously redacted allegations about internal communications with Stripe and rival hosting companies.
Key details from WP Engine's third amended complaint
WP Engine's third amended complaint adds antitrust and trademark allegations against Automattic and Mullenweg. It cites internal messages and emails that WP Engine says were produced by the defendants during discovery. The allegations below reflect WP Engine's characterization of those materials and have not been proven in court.
- The complaint references an August 28, 2025 hearing where defendants reportedly denied that Mullenweg used the phrase "nuclear war." It then cites a September 13, 2024 message in which Mullenweg allegedly warned of "all-out nuclear war" regarding WP Engine.
- In newly unredacted passages, WP Engine alleges that Mullenweg emailed a senior Stripe executive in mid-October 2024. According to the complaint, he asked Stripe to cancel contracts with WP Engine and threatened to end Automattic's agreements with Stripe.
- The filing cites internal documents in which defendants purportedly state they have the power to "destroy all competition." According to the complaint, internal correspondence distinguishes community contributions to WordPress from pressure on companies to "contribute to Automattic" through related programs.
- Newly revealed language states that Tier 1 hosts such as WP Engine would likely resist paid trademark licenses. The complaint says defendants acknowledged these hosts had never paid for WordPress trademarks and were already receiving similar benefits at no cost.
- WP Engine points to internal discussions describing a "carrot" and "stick" enforcement strategy tied to price increases and partnership deals. One cited message calls noncompliant companies "fair game," says defendants would "start stealing their sites," and labels some hosts "charlatans."
- The filing states that WP Engine was the "public example" of a broader plan to target at least ten competitors. It alleges that companies including Newfold and a redacted hosting provider pay "exorbitant sums" under defendants' trademark arrangements and that Mullenweg told one partner that hosting-page payments went directly to him and had "shield[ed]" that partner.
Background context
WP Engine is a managed WordPress hosting provider headquartered in Austin, Texas. Automattic operates WordPress.com and is a major contributor to the open-source WordPress software. Matt Mullenweg co-founded WordPress and serves as Automattic's chief executive officer.
The current lawsuit, filed in 2024, accuses Automattic and Mullenweg of anticompetitive conduct and misuse of WordPress-related trademarks. WP Engine's claims reference WordPress.org infrastructure, recommended hosting programs, and community initiatives such as "Five for the Future." That program encourages companies to dedicate resources to WordPress development, as described on the official project site.
Source citations and procedural status
The allegations summarized here are drawn from WP Engine's third amended complaint and quoted passages within that filing. Background on the Five for the Future program comes from the official WordPress.org description, while company information is based on public profiles from WP Engine and Automattic. The case remains active in U.S. federal court, and future proceedings will address the merits of the claims and defenses.
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