Trump Sues Wall Street Journal for $10B Over Epstein Report

U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its parent company Dow Jones, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, and two reporters.

The suit, lodged in Florida federal court, follows a WSJ report alleging Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a birthday note in 2003 that included a suggestive comment and signature. Trump vehemently denies the story, calling it fabricated and vowing to bring Murdoch to the witness stand.

Dow Jones has defended the integrity of its reporting and promised to fight the suit in court. The legal move comes as Trump’s past ties to Epstein draw renewed scrutiny, especially after Attorney General Pam Bondi reversed a pledge to release Epstein-related documents.

The Justice Department has since filed a motion to unseal grand jury transcripts connected to Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell. A July 7 DOJ memo reaffirmed that Epstein died by suicide in 2019 and said there was no evidence of a secret client list.

Trump, who once called Epstein a friend, maintains he severed ties before any crimes became public. The lawsuit and the DOJ’s actions signal a politically charged return of the Epstein case to the national spotlight in the 2024–25 campaign cycle.