Trump Initiates $10 Billion Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Allegations

In a significant legal move, former U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its parent companies, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The lawsuit, lodged in a Miami federal court, seeks a staggering $10 billion in damages, stemming from a report that allegedly linked Trump to a birthday greeting for the late Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.

The report in question claimed that Trump's name appeared in a 2003 leather-bound birthday book presented to Epstein, which purportedly featured a suggestive illustration and references to shared secrets. Trump vehemently denies the authenticity of the greeting and asserts that the publication of this story has inflicted severe reputational and financial damage upon him.

The lawsuit lists several defendants, including Murdoch, Dow Jones, News Corp, and specific journalists from the Wall Street Journal. Trump's legal team argues that the article was published with malice, claiming it was intended to harm his reputation without substantiated evidence. In a post on his social media platform, Trump expressed confidence in the case, emphasizing that he anticipates extensive depositions from those involved in the article's publication.

A representative for Dow Jones has stated the organization stands firmly behind the integrity and accuracy of its reporting and is prepared to defend against the lawsuit vigorously. The legal claim describes the birthday greeting as fictitious and suggests that the article lacked credible verification of its claims.

To succeed in his defamation lawsuit, Trump must demonstrate that the defendants acted with 'actual malice,' meaning they either knew the article was false or showed reckless disregard for its truth. The requested $10 billion in damages would surpass previous notable defamation cases, such as the $1.5 billion awarded against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Fox News' $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

As the Epstein case continues to evoke significant public interest and speculation, the White House has been under scrutiny following a recent Justice Department conclusion that refuted many conspiracy theories surrounding Epstein's connections and death. This has particularly concerned Trump supporters, some of whom have expressed frustration over the administration's decision not to release files related to Epstein.

On July 7, a Justice Department memo confirmed that Epstein's death was ruled a suicide and found no evidence supporting allegations of a client list or claims of blackmail involving prominent individuals. In light of this, Trump has ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the unsealing of grand jury testimony related to Epstein.

The U.S. government filed a motion in Manhattan federal court seeking to release grand jury transcripts concerning Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 for her role in Epstein's criminal activities. The Deputy Attorney General has underscored the public's ongoing concern regarding Epstein, labeling him as one of the most notorious figures in American criminal history.

As the legal proceedings unfold, it remains to be seen how this lawsuit will impact Trump's public image and the broader narrative surrounding Epstein. The Wall Street Journal's original report indicated that the birthday greeting included various messages from high-profile individuals, concluding with a line suggesting that every day should be a new secret, which has fueled speculation about Trump's past connections with Epstein.