A Florida judge has dismissed Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch over a 2025 article about a letter the former president allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Darrin P Gayles ruled on Monday that the complaint failed to adequately allege actual malice, the legal standard required for public figures to win defamation cases.
Trump had argued that a lewd drawing referenced in the Journal’s July 2025 story was fake. The article, titled “Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters for a 50th Birthday Album. One Was From Donald Trump,” reported that Trump sent a “bawdy” letter to Epstein in 2003. Trump personally called Murdoch to try to prevent publication.
Judge Gayles noted that the Journal sought to verify the drawing’s authenticity and that Trump’s claim of forgery did not prove the newspaper acted with serious doubts. “Because President Trump has not plausibly alleged that defendants published the article with actual malice, both counts must be dismissed,” the judge wrote.
Trump’s legal team has until 27 April to refile the lawsuit with additional evidence. A spokesperson for the former president said they would follow the judge’s guidance and refile a “powerhouse lawsuit.” Trump also posted on Truth Social that the dismissal was not a termination but a suggested refiling.
A spokesperson for Dow Jones, the Journal’s parent company, welcomed the decision, stating they stand behind the accuracy of their reporting. Trump continues to pursue other legal actions against media outlets, including an active lawsuit against the BBC.
