Donald Trump files $10 billion defamation lawsuit Aagainst Wall Street Journal over Epstein letter claim
U.S. President Donald Trump has launched a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, and two Wall Street Journal reporters. The legal action stems from a recent article that claimed Trump authored a sexually suggestive birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
Donald Trump files a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over claims he wrote a 2003 letter to Jeffrey Epstein.
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Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the suit accuses the Wall Street Journal and its journalists of publishing false and defamatory content. Trump contends that the article was not only baseless but also malicious in nature, with the intent to damage his reputation during a politically sensitive period.
On his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump criticized the Journal, calling it a “useless rag” and promised aggressive legal action. “I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case,” he wrote.
The article in question, authored by Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, described a letter purportedly written by Trump as part of a birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate. The letter allegedly features provocative imagery and includes the line: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump’s signature appears stylized beneath a drawing of a naked woman, according to the Journal.
Trump has vehemently denied any involvement with the letter. “This is not me,” he told the publication. “This is a fake thing.” The lawsuit reiterates that the letter was never published in full, nor does the article offer conclusive proof linking Trump to the document.
Dow Jones issued a statement defending its journalism. “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit,” a spokesperson said.
The alleged letter predates Epstein’s 2019 arrest and was said to have been written before his 2008 guilty plea on charges of soliciting sex from minors. Epstein was found dead in his jail cell in 2019, a death ruled a suicide by medical examiners but surrounded by widespread conspiracy theories and public skepticism.
Trump and Epstein were known to have had a social relationship in the early 2000s. Although they later distanced themselves from each other, Trump’s connection to Epstein has continued to draw scrutiny. Pressure has grown from Trump’s supporters demanding full transparency regarding the Epstein investigation. Responding to these calls, Trump announced on social media that he had instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release “any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony” related to the case.