President Donald Trump has sued Rupert Murdoch, two Wall Street Journal reporters, and the newspaper's parent companies for libel and slander over a report that claimed he sent the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein a lewd birthday note and a sketch of a naked woman.
The lawsuit, filed on Friday in the southern district of Florida federal court in Miami, targets Dow Jones and News Corp in addition to Murdoch and the journalists.
The disputed article, published last week, alleged that in 2003 Trump contributed to a birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell – now serving a 20-year sentence for sex-trafficking – with a note containing a sexually suggestive drawing and the words: “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The drawing reportedly included a sketch of a naked woman with small arcs for breasts and Trump's signature placed suggestively.
Trump has vehemently denied the report, claiming the letter is fake. He previously threatened legal action, posting on Truth Social that Murdoch “stated that he would take care of it but obviously did not have the power to do so”. The president added: “President Trump will be suing the Wall Street Journal, News Corp and Mr Murdoch shortly.” Vice-President JD Vance also criticised the story, calling it “complete and utter bullshit”.
This is the first media lawsuit Trump has filed while in office, though he has launched numerous legal actions previously, winning more than $30m in settlements from ABC News and Paramount in the past year. In a Truth Social post, Trump framed the suit as part of his campaign against “Fake News Media”. However, press freedom advocates questioned its merits. Professor Roy Gutterman of Syracuse University noted that seeking $10bn for each count “almost sounds comical” and doubted the plaintiff could prove the Journal published knowing the story was false.
The case also highlights the complex relationship between Trump and Murdoch, whose Fox News network has been supportive. The two met in the Oval Office in February, with Trump praising Murdoch as “legendary”. Separately, Trump has faced backlash from supporters for not releasing files on Epstein; a Reuters/Ipsos poll found 69% of respondents believe the government is hiding details about Epstein’s clients.
