On Friday, Automattic, the company behind WordPress, submitted its counterclaims in response to the lawsuit brought by hosting provider WP Engine in October 2024. WP Engine had accused Automattic and its CEO, Matt Mullenweg, of defamation and misuse of authority. Automattic asserts that WP Engine has misused the WordPress trademark and engaged in misleading marketing tactics, all while failing to contribute meaningfully to the open source community.
Because of these concerns, Automattic took steps against WP Engine last year, which included labeling the host as a “cancer to WordPress” and issuing a cease-and-desist notice for violating trademark policies. As the dispute escalated, Automattic blocked WP Engine from accessing WordPress.org resources and tried to arrange a licensing agreement with the company. According to Automattic, WP Engine stalled the process and negotiated without genuine intent.
WP Engine later filed a lawsuit against Automattic, presenting itself as the target of Mullenweg’s criticism. However, Automattic’s version of events claims that after Silver Lake, a private equity firm, invested $250 million in WP Engine, the company shifted from fair use to trademark infringement by branding itself as “The WordPress Technology Company” and allowing partners to refer to it as “WordPress Engine.”
Automattic further points out that WP Engine introduced products with names such as “Core WordPress” and “Headless WordPress,” and told its clients it had dedicated 5% of its resources to the WordPress ecosystem. Automattic contends these commitments were never fulfilled. The company also alleges that WP Engine’s trademark violations were intentional, claiming the host only “pretended to participate in licensing talks, but actually stalled and bargained in bad faith.”
Silver Lake is highlighted as a key figure in the counterclaims, which suggest that the private equity firm’s interests heavily influenced WP Engine’s actions. Specifically, the counterclaims state that WP Engine violated trademarks because paying for licenses would reduce its profits and valuation, affecting Silver Lake’s anticipated returns.
The counterclaims further state that Silver Lake attempted to sell WP Engine at a $2 billion valuation, but was unable to secure a buyer. The filing notably mentions that these efforts included “approaches to Automattic.”
Automattic also alleges that, in an effort to reduce expenses, WP Engine diminished user experience and product standards by removing important features during this period.
