Court Rejects Trump’s $10B Lawsuit Against WSJ, Murdoch over Epstein Ties Report

Court Rejects Trump’s $10B Lawsuit Against WSJ, Murdoch over Epstein Ties Report

A federal judge in Florida dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on Monday. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles found the complaint did not sufficiently allege that the paper acted with actual malice.

Judge’s ruling and next steps

Gayles granted Trump leave to file an amended complaint. The judge said the plaintiff failed to show deliberate falsehood by the reporters or publisher.

The order noted key issues remain factual and cannot be resolved at this early stage of litigation.

How the case began

Trump filed the lawsuit in July after the Journal published a story about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The article described a sexually suggestive letter that the paper said bore Trump’s signature.

The newspaper said the letter appeared in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Congress later released the letter after subpoenaing records from Epstein’s estate.

Arguments from both sides

Attorneys for the Journal and Rupert Murdoch had urged the judge to rule the contested statements true. They argued truth would bar any defamation claim.

Gayles disagreed that those factual questions could be decided now. He said whether Trump authored the letter or was Epstein’s friend must be proven in discovery.

Political and public reaction

The ruling is a setback for Trump’s attempts to use litigation to counter reporting he finds hostile. Legal experts say the decision preserves room for factual inquiry.

House Democrats posted the letter on their X account after it was released. Separately, Melania Trump publicly denied ties to Epstein and denied knowledge of his crimes.

Activists put up posters showing Trump and Epstein near the U.S. Embassy in London on July 17, 2025. Commuters were seen walking past a bus stop near Nine Elms Station during that display.

The court rejects Trump’s $10B lawsuit against WSJ, Murdoch over Epstein ties report, according to the judge’s order. Neither the White House nor a Dow Jones spokesperson immediately commented.

Filmogaz.com will update this report as developments occur.