Court Dismisses Trump’s Lawsuit Against Rupert Murdoch in Epstein Letter Case
A federal judge in Florida on Monday tossed a suit filed by former President Donald Trump. The lawsuit targeted Rupert Murdoch and several Wall Street Journal reporters. The dispute concerned an article about a 2003 birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein.
Judge’s ruling
U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled the Journal’s story was not defamatory. Gayles is an Obama appointee.
The judge said Trump’s claim did not meet the legal standard for defamation. He noted the litigation had not reached the proper stage to test all evidence.
Evidence and reporting
The Wall Street Journal published a story in July about a book of letters compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday. That article said a letter bearing Trump’s name contained bawdy material and a sketch of a nude woman.
In October, the House Oversight Committee released a redacted copy of the birthday book. The committee obtained the volume from Epstein’s estate via subpoena, and the copy included the letter attributed to Trump.
Legal and procedural details
Trump filed the lawsuit in July. He sued Murdoch and several Journal reporters personally and sought $10 billion in damages.
The court dismisses the complaint for now, allowing Murdoch to avoid immediate deposition. Earlier efforts sought to speed the case and force a deposition of the 95-year-old media executive.
Judge’s view on reporting efforts
Judge Gayles noted the Journal sought comment from the White House, the FBI, and the Justice Department. That outreach weighed against an allegation the paper deliberately avoided checking the book’s veracity.
The judge also said he would not consider the committee’s release of the full book at this stage. He left open the possibility of later probing the book’s authenticity.
Aftermath and responses
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team said the president intends to refile the case. The statement pledged continued legal action against media outlets accused of spreading false reports.
Rupert Murdoch is chairman emeritus of News Corp., the parent company of Dow Jones. A News Corp. spokesperson did not immediately respond to Filmogaz.com’s request for comment.
Background on Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein had pleaded guilty to sex offenses earlier in his case. He died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on more serious sex-trafficking charges.
