Trump's $10B Defamation Lawsuit Against WSJ Over Epstein Report Faces Setback
President Donald Trump refiled a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a July 2025 report linking him to Jeffrey Epstein via a birthday letter and drawing. U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Florida denied Trump’s request for discovery, ruling he failed to plausibly allege actual malice. The judge cited free speech protections, while the House Oversight Committee’s release of the alleged birthday book further undermines the case. The lawsuit is part of Trump’s pattern of suing media outlets.
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Trump Refiles $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Story
Donald Trump has refiled a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, alleging the newspaper tarnished his reputation with an article about a birthday card to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein that Trump claims is fake. The amended lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, includes a new allegation that Rupert Murdoch, chairman emeritus of News Corp, told Trump he would 'handle' the story after Trump called to complain. Trump interpreted this as meaning Murdoch believed him and the article would not be published. The lawsuit names Murdoch, Dow Jones, News Corp, CEO Robert Thomson, and two Journal reporters as defendants. A previous version of the lawsuit was dismissed in April 2026 by U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles, who ruled Trump had not met the 'actual malice' standard required for public figures in defamation cases. Dow Jones has previously expressed confidence in the Journal's reporting. Trump has also filed defamation lawsuits against the New York Times, BBC, and Des Moines Register.
The Hindu: Latest News today from India and the World, Breaking news, Top Headlines and Trending News Videos.Trump Refiles $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Birthday Card Article
President Donald Trump refiled a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Dow Jones & Company, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, on Wednesday. The lawsuit stems from a Journal article that covered a birthday letter Trump sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge had dismissed the original case last month, ruling that Trump failed to allege 'actual malice' against the news outlet. The refiling indicates Trump's continued legal effort to challenge the article's content and the judge's earlier decision. The case centers on claims of defamation related to the publication's reporting on Trump's correspondence with Epstein.
Just In NewsTrump Refiles $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Report
President Donald Trump has refiled a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a July 2025 report claiming he submitted a letter and explicit drawing to a birthday album for Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge had previously dismissed the lawsuit, ruling Trump could not prove actual malice. On May 13, 2026, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles further ruled that Trump could not use the discovery process in his claims. Trump's lawyers argue the Journal's reporters falsely presented the letter as fact without proof. The article notes that the House Oversight Committee included the birthday book with Trump's drawing in a September release of Epstein materials, suggesting the lawsuit lacks merit. The analysis characterizes the lawsuit as part of a pattern by Trump to intimidate media companies and seek large settlements, with similar pending suits against The New York Times ($15 billion) and the BBC ($10 billion).
The New RepublicTrump Refiles $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Report
President Donald Trump has refiled a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a July 2025 report claiming he submitted a letter and explicit drawing to a birthday album for Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge had previously dismissed the lawsuit, ruling Trump could not prove actual malice. On May 13, Judge Darrin Gayles also blocked Trump from using the discovery process. Trump's lawyers argue the Journal falsely presented the letter as fact without proof. However, the House Oversight Committee had already released the birthday book containing Trump's drawing as part of Epstein materials. The article suggests Trump's motive is to pressure the Murdoch family for favorable coverage and a settlement, noting a pattern of similar high-dollar lawsuits against The New York Times ($15 billion) and the BBC ($10 billion), with proceeds allegedly directed to his presidential library.
The New RepublicTrump Files Revised Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Letter
US President Donald Trump has filed a revised lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal after an initial legal setback in April 2026. The lawsuit centers on the newspaper's publication of a congratulatory letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which Trump denies authoring. A Florida district court had provisionally dismissed the original suit, ruling that Trump failed to plausibly demonstrate the newspaper acted with 'malicious intent.' The revised complaint alleges the Journal acted maliciously on multiple points and reiterates Trump's demand for billions in damages. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2025 on the alleged letter, which included suggestive content and a drawing of a woman's body outline. Trump has a history of suing media outlets he dislikes, including the BBC and the New York Times.
taz.de - taz.deCourt Denies Trump Discovery Request in WSJ Defamation Suit Over Epstein Letter
A federal judge in Florida has denied former President Donald Trump's request to conduct limited discovery in his defamation lawsuit against Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal. The lawsuit stems from a WSJ article linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein via a alleged birthday letter. Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump failed to plausibly allege actual malice in his initial complaint, which was previously dismissed without prejudice. The court emphasized that discovery cannot be used as a fishing expedition to build a case after a complaint has failed to state a valid claim. Citing Supreme Court precedents like New York Times v. Sullivan, the judge noted that allowing such discovery would burden publishers with expensive litigation, thereby chilling free speech and contradicting the breathing space intended by the actual malice standard for reporting on public figures. Consequently, the motion to investigate how defendants acted with actual malice or verified the letter's contents was rejected as an attempt to pursue groundless litigation.
Reason.comCourt Denies Trump Discovery Request in WSJ Defamation Suit Over Epstein Letter
A federal judge in Florida has denied former President Donald Trump's request to conduct limited discovery in his defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co. The lawsuit stemmed from a WSJ article linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein via a alleged birthday letter. Judge Darrin Gayles had previously dismissed Trump's initial complaint without prejudice in April 2026, ruling that Trump failed to plausibly allege actual malice. In this recent decision, the court rejected Trump's motion to investigate how defendants acted with actual malice or verified the letter's contents. The judge emphasized that discovery cannot be used to salvage a claim that fails to state a valid cause of action. Citing Supreme Court precedents like New York Times v. Sullivan, the ruling highlighted the need to protect publishers from expensive, groundless litigation that could chill free speech. The court concluded that allowing discovery at this stage would contravene the breathing space intended for robust reporting on public figures. Legal representatives for Dow Jones included firms such as Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and Dechert LLP.
Reason.comTrump’s Defamation Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Faces Major Setback
President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal has encountered a significant legal obstacle. U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump cannot pursue discovery based on actual malice, describing the attempt as improper and akin to the groundless litigation cautioned against by the Eleventh Circuit. Trump originally sued the Journal in July 2025 over reports that he contributed a letter and explicit drawing to Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday album. Although a previous dismissal allowed for an amended complaint, the judge now restricts evidence gathering while leaving the door open for further amendments. However, success appears unlikely given that the House Oversight Committee recently released the alleged birthday book. Concurrently, tensions between the Trump administration and the Journal have escalated, with the Justice Department subpoenaing reporters regarding Defense Department leaks about the Iran war. Dow Jones condemned these subpoenas as attacks on constitutionally protected news gathering, highlighting broader concerns about press freedom under the current administration.
The New Republic