Judge Throws Out Trump’s $10B Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal’s Epstein Coverage
A federal judge dismissed President Trump’s $10 billion defamation suit tied to the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on Jeffrey Epstein. The decision came on Monday from U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Florida.
Ruling details
Judge Gayles found Trump had not shown the article was published with malicious intent. The order allowed the president to file an amended complaint.
The court rejected a request by Wall Street Journal lawyers to rule the article’s statements true at this stage. Gayles said whether Trump wrote the letter or was Epstein’s friend are factual questions for later proceedings.
About the disputed article
The story described a sexually suggestive letter said to bear Trump’s signature. The newspaper reported the letter appeared in a 2003 album compiled for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday.
Congress later subpoenaed records from Epstein’s estate and released the letter publicly. Trump denied authoring the letter and called the report false and defamatory.
Legal background and timeline
Trump filed the lawsuit in July, after the Journal published its Epstein coverage. The suit named the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch as defendants.
Attorneys for the paper and Murdoch had urged the court to find the article non-defamatory because its statements were true. Gayles declined to resolve those factual disputes now.
Next steps and reactions
The judge’s decision delivers a setback to the president’s effort to challenge the reporting. Observers say the ruling limits an immediate legal clampdown on the story.
Neither the White House nor a Dow Jones spokesperson immediately answered requests for comment. The case will proceed if an amended complaint is filed.
Context
- Judge: Darrin P. Gayles, U.S. District Court, Florida.
- Defendants: Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch.
- Allegation: Article described a letter linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Plaintiff action: Trump filed suit in July and denied authorship of the letter.
