Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch, Dow Jones, News Corp, and two Wall Street Journal reporters, alleging libel and slander over a report that claimed he sent a lewd letter and sketch to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The suit was lodged on Friday in the southern district of Florida federal court in Miami.
The Wall Street Journal article, published earlier this week, detailed a 50th birthday greeting allegedly sent by Trump to Epstein in 2003. The report described a sexually suggestive drawing of a naked woman and a note referencing shared secrets, supposedly contributed to a birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking.
Trump vehemently denied the story, calling it false and defamatory on his Truth Social platform. He claimed he had warned Murdoch about the lawsuit, stating, 'Mr Murdoch stated that he would take care of it but obviously did not have the power to do so. Instead they are going with a false, malicious, defamatory story anyway.' Vice-President JD Vance also dismissed the report as 'complete and utter bullshit.'
This is Trump's first lawsuit against a media company while in office, though he has previously pursued numerous legal actions, winning over $30 million in settlements from ABC News and Paramount. The president framed the suit as part of a broader effort to hold 'Fake News Media' accountable, but press freedom advocates questioned its merits, noting the high burden of proving the Journal acted with knowledge of falsehood.
The case adds to the complex relationship between Trump and Murdoch, whose Fox News network has supported the president. Trump hosted Murdoch in the Oval Office in February, praising him as 'legendary.' Meanwhile, the president faces backlash from supporters over his refusal to release files related to Epstein, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll showing 69% of respondents believe the government is hiding details about Epstein's clients.
