Trump accuses the publication of printing a fake letter, claims defamatory reporting, and announces plans to sue News Corp. and Murdoch.
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to sue The Wall Street Journal, its parent company News Corp., and owner Rupert Murdoch over a recent story detailing his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The publication featured a letter purportedly written by Trump to Epstein in 2003, which Trump has labeled as a “FAKE” and defamatory. In a post on Truth Social, Trump slammed the Journal’s editor and Murdoch for allowing the publication of the letter, which he claims contains malicious and false content.
Details of the Story and Trump’s Response:
The Wall Street Journal reported on letters Epstein’s friends wrote for a birthday album given to him in 2003. Among them was a letter allegedly from Trump, featuring disturbing imagery—a hand-drawn naked woman with arcs denoting her breasts and Trump’s signature below, which the Journal described as mimicking pubic hair. In response, Trump took to Truth Social to state that both Rupert Murdoch and the editor of The Wall Street Journal, Emma Tucker, had been warned directly that the letter was fraudulent, but chose to publish it regardless. Trump’s statement on Truth Social read, “President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch shortly. The Press has to learn to be truthful.”
Trump also expressed his frustration with the media outlet, calling it a “Disgusting and Filthy Rag” and accusing it of publishing defamatory lies to remain relevant. He reiterated that if there was any truth to the Epstein story, it would have been revealed by various political figures years ago, dismissing the renewed attention to the matter as a “hoax.”
Legal Threats and Media Backlash:
Trump’s legal threats are not a new development, as he has previously clashed with media outlets like ABC and CBS over stories he deemed misleading or false. His spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, also took to X (formerly Twitter) to echo Trump’s stance, calling the story a smear campaign. The Wall Street Journal’s publisher, Dow Jones, responded by stating, “The story speaks for itself,” while News Corp. and Fox Corp. declined to comment on the issue.
Trump’s statements on the matter coincide with renewed discussions around Jeffrey Epstein’s death and the controversial conspiracy theories that have followed. Recently, the Justice Department clarified that there was no “Epstein list,” and that Epstein’s death was ruled a suicide. Trump has sought to distance himself from the Epstein controversy, calling it a Democrat-led “scam” and demanding the release of any relevant Grand Jury testimony.
Despite his numerous legal threats against media outlets in the past, which have often not resulted in actual litigation, Trump’s current focus on The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch marks a notable development. Murdoch, who has previously been praised by Trump, attended his inauguration and has been a frequent visitor to the White House. The legal threat against The Wall Street Journal highlights Trump’s ongoing frustration with the media’s portrayal of his relationship with Epstein and his broader battle with what he considers “fake news.”