A federal judge dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch. The suit stemmed from a story detailing Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein and a sexually suggestive letter allegedly signed by Trump, included in a 2003 birthday book for Epstein.
The judge ruled Trump failed to demonstrate the article was published with malicious intent, a key requirement in defamation cases involving public figures. The lawsuit claimed the newspaper tarnished his reputation, but the court found the argument unconvincing. Trump had previously denied sending the letter at the request of Ghislaine Maxwell and argued a drawing at the heart of the story was fake.
The judge has given the president an opportunity to amend and refile the complaint. This dismissal represents another setback in the Trump administration’s efforts to address fallout from the Epstein files and challenges to critical reporting.
Trump initially filed the lawsuit in Florida, naming the newspaper, its owners, and journalists as defendants. The court determined he did not meet the “actual malice” standard required for public figures pursuing defamation claims.