Donald Trump sues Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion over Epstein report

U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a sweeping $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its parent company News Corp, and key executives including Rupert Murdoch, alleging defamation over a controversial report that tied Trump's name to a risqué birthday greeting for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to media reports.

The suit, filed Friday in a federal court in Miami, also names Dow Jones, News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, and two WSJ journalists, accusing them of publishing a "false, malicious, defamatory" article that has caused Trump "overwhelming" reputational and financial damage.

Also Read: Elon Musk accuses Donald Trump of being named in Epstein files in explosive claim

At the center of the legal storm is a Wall Street Journal article that claimed a 2003 leather-bound birthday book gifted to Epstein featured a sexually suggestive letter allegedly signed "Donald."

The letter reportedly included typewritten birthday wishes encased in the outline of a nude woman, ending with the line: “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

The Journal did not confirm whether it had physically obtained or verified the letter, a fact Trump’s lawsuit highlighted as key to its claim of reckless reporting. “The article does not explain whether Defendants have obtained a copy of the letter, have seen it, or had it described to them,” the complaint states, as per media reports.

Trump, who has long denied any wrongdoing or deep association with Epstein, blasted the publication on his Truth Social platform: “We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory FAKE NEWS ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is The Wall Street Journal.”

“I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case.”

According to reports, a spokesperson for Dow Jones, said, "We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit."

To succeed in the high-stakes defamation case, Trump must prove that the Journal acted with "actual malice" - that is, knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

Also Read: How Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s relationship went from being power duo to having public feud

As per media reports, Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges. His death fuelled widespread conspiracy theories, particularly among Trump's political base, alleging cover-ups involving the powerful.

Although Trump was photographed with Epstein at several social events in the 1990s and early 2000s and once called him a “terrific guy,” he later distanced himself, saying the two had a falling out before Epstein’s legal troubles surfaced in 2006.

The White House has reportedly grown uneasy over renewed scrutiny tied to Epstein, especially after the Justice Department earlier this month declared there was no credible evidence to support conspiracy theories surrounding his death and client list.