Trump defamation suit against WSJ over Epstein letter story dismissed by court
WASHINGTON, DC: A federal judge has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a report about a letter allegedly sent to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
US District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump failed to demonstrate “actual malice,” the legal threshold required for public figures to pursue defamation claims.
Judge says ‘nowhere close’ to legal standard
In his ruling, Gayles said the complaint fell far short of the required standard.
“The complaint comes nowhere close to this standard. Quite the opposite,” he wrote, effectively ending the case at this stage.
The lawsuit stemmed from a report published last year alleging that Trump sent a letter to Epstein in 2003 for his 50th birthday. The article described the message as containing text framed by the outline of a woman and ending with a suggestive note.
Trump has denied authoring the letter, claiming it was fabricated and that the newspaper was informed of its alleged falsity before publication. The Journal has stood by its reporting.
Court avoids ruling on facts
The judge clarified that the dismissal does not determine whether Trump wrote the letter or the nature of his relationship with Epstein.
“Whether President Trump was the author of the Letter or Epstein’s friend are questions of fact that cannot be determined at this stage,” Gayles noted.
He added that even if the “actual malice” standard had been met, Trump’s claims for special damages would still not stand.
Trump team vows to refile case
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team said the president would seek to amend and refile the lawsuit, describing it as a “powerhouse” case aimed at holding media organizations accountable.
The suit names multiple defendants, including the newspaper, its reporters, parent company News Corp, its leadership, Dow Jones, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
The case comes amid renewed scrutiny of Trump’s past association with Epstein, which the president has repeatedly downplayed, saying the two had a falling out years ago.
Separately, First Lady Melania Trump recently issued a rare public statement denying any connection to Epstein and condemning what she called defamatory claims against her.
