A US federal judge has dismissed President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, which had reported on a birthday letter allegedly written by Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The lawsuit, originally filed in July 2025 in a federal court in Miami, sought at least $10 billion on each of two counts of defamation, totaling $20 billion. The legal action targeted the Journal’s publisher Dow Jones & Company, its parent company News Corp, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, and two reporters who authored the article.
What The Wall Street Journal Report Claimed
The controversy stems from a report published by The Wall Street Journal, which stated that Trump’s name appeared on a birthday letter included in a 2003 album prepared for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
The album was reportedly assembled by Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. According to the newspaper, the letter attributed to Trump featured text framed within a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman.
The report also claimed the message concluded with the line:
“Happy Birthday, and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump strongly denied writing the letter and described the report as fabricated.
Newspaper’s Defence: Protected By Free Speech
In response to the lawsuit, The Wall Street Journal argued that the legal action was an attempt to silence journalism.
The publication maintained that its reporting was protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, calling the lawsuit “an affront to the First Amendment.”
The Journal further stated that its reporting was later supported by official records.
Congressional Records Added New Evidence
Following publication of the article, Epstein’s estate reportedly produced a copy of the birthday book after receiving a congressional subpoena.
Members of the House Oversight Committee publicly released an image of the page attributed to Trump. According to reports, the image largely matched the description published by the newspaper.
Despite this, the White House continued to deny that the letter was authentic.
Part Of A Broader Pattern Of Media Lawsuits
This lawsuit was one of several filed by Donald Trump against major media organisations over coverage he described as inaccurate or unfair.
Press freedom advocates have expressed concern that such lawsuits could discourage investigative reporting and critical media coverage.
While Trump has not secured trial victories in similar cases, his legal team has previously reached settlements with several major platforms, including:
- ABC News
- CBS
- X
The dismissal of the current case adds to a growing list of legal battles between Trump and media organisations.