Judge Dismisses Trump’s Defamation Suit Against Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal
A federal judge in Miami dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal over the newspaper’s reporting on a purported birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. The ruling, issued Saturday, prevents Trump from filing another amended complaint in the district court.
U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles found that Trump’s revised lawsuit, like his original complaint, failed to plausibly allege that the defendants published the story with “actual malice.” That legal standard applies when public figures bring defamation claims. Gayles said the Journal had conducted a thoughtful, detailed investigation before publication.
The Journal reported on July 17, 2025, that an album assembled for Epstein’s 50th birthday included a letter bearing Trump’s signature. According to the newspaper, the letter contained typed text framed by a drawing of a woman. Trump denied writing or drawing it and called it fake. Gayles did not decide whether Trump authored the letter.
In his amended complaint, Trump argued that the Journal inadequately investigated the document, omitted relevant information and proceeded despite denials from him and his representatives. The judge rejected those arguments. He said allowing a public figure’s denial to prevent publication of an unfavorable report would conflict with First Amendment protections for speech and the press.
The ruling follows an earlier dismissal of the case roughly six months ago. Dismissal with prejudice ends Trump’s opportunity to revise the case in the district court, but his legal team said he plans to appeal. A spokesman said Trump would continue seeking to hold the defendants accountable. Representatives for Murdoch and the Journal did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The decision addresses the legal sufficiency of Trump’s defamation claim, not the disputed letter’s authenticity. The case stems from the Journal’s account of an alleged 2003 letter and Trump’s denial that he sent it.