Donald Trump's legal team has refiled a $10bn lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) over a story alleging he sent a 'bawdy' letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The move comes after a Florida judge dismissed the case last month, allowing Trump to present new evidence.
The lawsuit, which also names WSJ publisher Dow Jones and reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, claims the newspaper tarnished Trump's reputation by describing a card to Epstein as bearing his signature. A spokesperson for Trump's legal team called it a 'powerhouse lawsuit' and said the president will hold those who mislead the public with 'Fake News' accountable.
In April, Judge Darrin P Gayles ruled that Trump's team had not adequately argued the WSJ acted with 'actual malice'—publishing despite knowing the story was false or highly likely to be false. However, he dismissed the case 'without prejudice', giving Trump time to refile with new evidence. Gayles noted significant evidence that the WSJ sought to verify the letter's authenticity, and that Trump's denial did not prove malice.
The revised lawsuit, seven pages longer, continues to assert the letter does not exist. It claims the WSJ intentionally omitted Trump's denial, though the original story noted he denied writing it. The complaint also cites Ghislaine Maxwell's statement that she did not recall the letter, arguing the WSJ ignored this. Trump's team sought limited discovery to prove malice, but Gayles denied the request, calling it improper.
The lawsuit seeks $10bn in compensation, though the basis for this figure is unclear. A Dow Jones spokesperson has been contacted for comment. Trump has a history of suing media companies, including the New York Times and BBC, and has won settlements from CBS and ABC News.
