Updated April 13, 2026 at 1:41 PM EDT
In a significant legal decision this week, a federal judge dismissed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch. The case revolved around an article concerning Trump’s connections with Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles, presiding in Florida, determined that Trump did not sufficiently prove the article was maliciously intended. However, the judge left room for Trump to amend his complaint.
The lawsuit, initiated by Trump in July, followed a report that brought attention to his ties with Epstein. The article featured a provocative letter, purportedly signed by Trump, which was included in a 2003 album for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Congress later made this letter public after obtaining it through a subpoena from Epstein’s estate. Trump has repudiated the letter, labeling the report as “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
Lawyers representing the Wall Street Journal and Murdoch had sought a ruling affirming the article’s veracity, thereby nullifying any defamation claims. Judge Gayles noted, “whether President Trump was the author of the Letter or Epstein’s friend are questions of fact that cannot be determined at this stage of the litigation,” leaving these matters unresolved for now.
This ruling represents another setback for Trump in his efforts to control the aftermath of the Epstein files’ release and to counteract unfavorable media coverage through legal channels.
While the White House has not issued a statement in response, a representative from Dow Jones, the publisher of the Journal, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “We stand behind the reliability, rigor, and accuracy of The Wall Street Journal‘s reporting,” the spokesperson stated.
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