Donald Trump's legal team has refiled a $10bn defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over a story alleging he sent a letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The case was dismissed last month by a Florida judge but has now been revived with additional evidence.
The lawsuit, which also names Dow Jones and reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, claims the Journal tarnished Trump's reputation by describing a card to Epstein as bearing his signature. The amended complaint argues the letter does not exist and that the newspaper acted with malice.
In April, Judge Darrin P Gayles dismissed the original case without prejudice, stating Trump's team had not adequately proven actual malice. The judge noted the Journal had sought to verify the letter's authenticity, and Trump's denial alone did not show the paper had serious doubts.
The new filing cites comments from Ghislaine Maxwell, who said she did not recall the letter, and alleges the Journal omitted Trump's denial. The Journal's original story did note that Trump denied writing the letter.
A spokesperson for Trump called it a 'powerhouse lawsuit' and said the president would hold those responsible for 'Fake News' accountable. Dow Jones has been contacted for comment. Trump has previously won settlements against CBS and ABC News but still has outstanding cases against the New York Times and the BBC.
