Judge Again Tosses Out Donald Trump’s $10 Billion Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal Over Its Reporting On Jeffrey Epstein Birthday Letter
Developing story first seen 4 hours ago
A federal judge has again dismissed Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its report about a letter bearing his name in Jeffrey Epstein’s 2003 birthday book. The ruling matters because Judge Darrin Gayles said Trump’s revised complaint did not adequately allege that the newspaper knowingly published false claims or acted with reckless disregard for the truth, and dismissed the case with prejudice.
The Journal reported that the letter included bawdy text and a drawing of a naked woman; Trump has denied writing it. The House Oversight Committee later released documents that included a letter matching the newspaper’s description. The judge did not decide who wrote the letter or whether the article’s claims were true or defamatory, but said Trump’s allegations did not meet the legal standard for public figures. Trump’s legal team said he would continue pursuing the case against the defendants, while Dow Jones welcomed the ruling.
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In short
- Judge dismisses Trump’s $10 billion case with prejudice.
- He found the revised complaint did not sufficiently allege actual malice.
- The ruling did not decide who wrote the Epstein birthday letter.
How this story developed
- 4 minutes ago A federal judge has again dismissed Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its report about a letter bearing his name in Jeffrey Epstein’s 2003 birthday book.
- Variety Judge Dismisses Trump’s Wall Street Journal Defamation Lawsuit Over Published Epstein ‘Birthday Book’ for a Second Time
- Deadline Judge Again Tosses Out Donald Trump’s $10 Billion Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal Over Its Reporting On Jeffrey Epstein Birthday Letter
- The Hollywood Reporter Trump Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Story Dismissed by Judge
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Trump’s strongest case is that a report linking him to a sexually explicit letter in Epstein’s birthday book could seriously damage his reputation if the attribution was wrong. A public figure should still be able to seek redress for false reporting, and the legal standard should not make that remedy impossible where there is evidence of knowing or reckless disregard for accuracy.
The case against
The Journal’s strongest case is that reporting on a matter of public interest is protected when journalists take care to verify their claims, even if a subject disputes them. Defamation law sets a demanding standard for public figures to protect robust reporting, and the judge found Trump’s revised complaint did not adequately allege the required state of mind; the ruling did not determine who wrote the letter or whether the report was true.
Explained simply
Jeffrey Epstein was a wealthy financier who was convicted of sex offences and had connections to prominent people. In 2003, people associated with him contributed messages to a birthday book; one letter in it bears Donald Trump’s name.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the letter contained bawdy text and a drawing of a naked woman. Trump has denied writing it, and documents later released by a House of Representatives committee included a letter matching the newspaper’s description.
Because Trump is a public figure, a defamation claim generally requires showing that a publisher knowingly made a false statement or recklessly disregarded whether it was true. The dispute concerns whether the newspaper’s reporting meets that standard; the court has not determined who wrote the letter or whether the report was defamatory.
Coverage · 3 sources
- DeadlineJudge Again Tosses Out Donald Trump’s $10 Billion Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal Over Its Reporting On Jeffrey Epstein Birthday Letter
- VarietyJudge Dismisses Trump’s Wall Street Journal Defamation Lawsuit Over Published Epstein ‘Birthday Book’ for a Second Time
- The Hollywood ReporterTrump Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Story Dismissed by Judge