Trump Sues Wall Street Journal, Murdoch for $10 Billion Over Epstein Report
US President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch, The Wall Street Journal, and its reporters over a report claiming he sent a suggestive birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein, escalating a political storm ahead of a critical election cycle.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami on Friday, alleges that the Journal’s report about a 2003 letter Trump allegedly sent to Epstein, featuring a naked woman and a note referring to their “secret,” is false and intended to damage Trump’s reputation. Trump called the report “false, malicious, defamatory, fake news” in a Truth Social post, vowing to hold the publication accountable.
The Wall Street Journal’s report, published Thursday, claimed the letter was part of an album gifted to Epstein for his 50th birthday, containing drawings and a signature from Trump mimicking pubic hair. The Journal cited the black-and-white outline of a naked woman and a message from Trump reading, “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump has denied the existence of the letter, stating, “It’s not my language. It’s not my words. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women,” while accusing the media of attempting to derail his re-election campaign. However, US media outlets have previously published sketches by Trump, including drawings from the early 2000s donated for charity.
The legal action also names News Corp, Murdoch’s company, and two Journal reporters as defendants, alleging the report has been viewed by “hundreds of millions,” causing “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” to Trump, with damages multiplying ahead of the election.
The lawsuit comes as Trump faces rising discontent among his base over unresolved conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein, who was found dead in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sexually exploiting underage girls. Epstein’s death, ruled a suicide, has fueled speculation about an alleged list of high-profile clients.
In response to mounting pressure, Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the unsealing of grand jury testimony from Epstein’s prosecution, citing “extensive public interest.” The legal request in New York comes amid doubts over whether the testimony will be released or if it would reveal details about Epstein’s alleged network.
Epstein and Trump were previously photographed together at parties, but there has been no evidence of wrongdoing by Trump related to Epstein’s crimes.
The Wall Street Journal has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. It remains unclear how the courts will handle Trump’s demands for damages or whether the request to unseal Epstein-related grand jury testimony will be granted.
