US judge dismisses $10bn Trump defamation suit against Wall Street Journal
US Judge Dismisses $10bn Trump Defamation Suit Against Wall Street Journal
In a recent decision, a U.S. federal judge ruled against Trump’s lawsuit targeting the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and its parent company, News Corp., for a story linking the president to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The case, filed last summer in a Florida federal court, sought damages exceeding $10 billion. Trump alleged that the WSJ defamed him in a July 17 report, which claimed his name appeared in a “birthday book” Epstein had in 2003. The article also noted that Trump included a drawing of a woman’s body in the document.
Trump’s Legal Strategy and Next Steps
Following the dismissal, Trump’s legal team announced plans to refile the suit, calling it a “powerhouse” case. Judge Darrin Gayles emphasized that Trump had failed to demonstrate the WSJ acted with “actual malice,” a key standard for defamation claims in the United States. The ruling dismissed the case without prejudice, leaving the door open for Trump to amend his lawsuit within 27 April.
“The president will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in Fake News to mislead the American People,” stated Trump’s attorney in a CBS News interview.
Background and Evidence
The WSJ’s report was based on exclusive investigative work connecting Trump to Epstein through the birthday book. Democratic lawmakers later shared an image of the note on social media, prompting public scrutiny. Although the journal initially omitted the image, its written description of the note matched the visual evidence provided by lawmakers. Trump dismissed the document as “a fake thing,” insisting he did not author it.
Judge Gayles concluded that Trump had not sufficiently proven the WSJ published the report with “actual malice,” meaning the newspaper either knew the information was false or showed disregard for its truthfulness. The ruling underscores the high bar for defamation claims, requiring plaintiffs to show both falsity and reckless intent.
The WSJ, under Rupert Murdoch’s ownership, had previously published other Epstein-related investigations. Trump’s legal team now aims to strengthen the case before refiled, focusing on the alleged malice in the reporting process.
