The Wall Street Journal has filed a motion to dismiss President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit, which seeks at least $20 billion in damages, over a July 2025 article about a birthday letter purportedly written by Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The newspaper argues that the article is true and therefore protected by the First Amendment.
The article, published on July 17, 2025, reported that a letter bearing Trump's name appeared in a birthday book compiled by Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The letter, which included a bawdy drawing and a handwritten signature, was part of a collection of messages from prominent individuals. Trump denied writing the letter, calling it 'a fake thing' in an interview with the Journal.
In its motion, the Journal asserts that the article is not defamatory, noting that Trump has publicly acknowledged his friendship with Epstein and has made similar bawdy statements in the past. The newspaper also contends that Trump has failed to prove 'actual malice,' the legal standard required for a public figure to win a libel case.
The Journal's filing describes the lawsuit as 'an affront to the First Amendment' and asks the court to order Trump to pay the defendants' legal fees. The motion comes after Epstein's estate produced the birthday book in response to a congressional subpoena, confirming the letter's existence as reported.
