Former U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its parent companies, two of its reporters, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The legal action comes in response to the Journal’s recent report alleging that Trump wrote a letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on the occasion of his 50th birthday.
The Lawsuit
Filed on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, the lawsuit names News Corp, Dow Jones, Rupert Murdoch, and two WSJ reporters as defendants. Trump is seeking a jury trial and damages “not less than $10 billion,” claiming the publication knowingly printed false and damaging material.
In the court filing, Trump described the article as the product of “malicious, deliberate, and despicable actions,” insisting that the letter to Epstein is entirely fictitious. He argues that the Journal’s report harms his personal and professional reputation and may dissuade others from engaging with him publicly or privately. Trump is being represented by Florida law firm Brito, PLLC.
The Article in Question
The Wall Street Journal reported that the letter, allegedly penned by Trump in 2003 to mark Epstein’s 50th birthday, was included in a private album. According to the story, the message read: “May every day be another wonderful secret”, and was accompanied by a lewd drawing.
Trump reportedly lobbied Murdoch, WSJ editor Emma Tucker, and News Corp CEO Robert Thomson to prevent the article’s publication in the days leading up to its release. After the piece went live on Thursday evening, Trump posted on Truth Social, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory”, and threatened legal action against Murdoch and the publication, referring to it as a “third-rate newspaper.”
Response from Defendants
A spokesperson for Dow Jones defended the report, stating:
“We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
The White House declined to comment on the case.
Context: Fallout Over Epstein Files
The lawsuit follows renewed controversy over the Trump administration’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. A memo released earlier this month by the Department of Justice and FBI concluded that there was “no client list” and “no credible evidence” that Epstein had blackmailed high-profile individuals—a reversal from Trump’s campaign promise to release all Epstein-related documents.
In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that a list of Epstein’s clients was “sitting on my desk right now to review.” After the release of the memo, Trump faced criticism from his political base and called for the release of grand jury transcripts relating to the Epstein investigation.
Shortly after the WSJ article was published, Bondi echoed Trump’s demands, saying on social media:
“President Trump — we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts.”
On Friday, the Justice Department filed a motion in federal court to release the transcripts, citing significant public interest.
What’s Next
The lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal adds another legal battle to Trump’s already complex legal and political landscape. If the case proceeds, it could test the limits of media protections under the First Amendment, especially in cases involving high-profile public figures and matters of intense public interest.
