US judge dismisses $10bn Trump defamation suit against Wall Street Journal
US Judge Dismisses $10bn Trump Defamation Case Against Wall Street Journal
A U.S. judge ruled to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) by former President Donald Trump, who accused the publication of defaming him in a July 17th report. The case, initiated in a Florida federal court last summer, sought damages exceeding $10 billion, citing claims that the WSJ exposed Trump’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
The article in question described Trump’s name appearing in a “birthday book” linked to Epstein in 2003, with a mention of a drawing depicting a woman’s body. Trump’s legal team, in a statement to CBS News—BBC’s U.S. news partner—announced plans to refile the “powerhouse” lawsuit. US District Judge Darrin Gayles concluded that Trump had not sufficiently demonstrated the WSJ acted with “actual malice” when publishing the story.
Legal Standard for Defamation
The judge emphasized that the legal threshold for defamation requires proof of a false statement and intent to harm or reckless disregard for the truth. In his decision, Gayles noted Trump’s failure to plausibly allege that the defendants intentionally or carelessly published the article with malicious intent.
WSJ’s Reporting and the Birthday Note
The Wall Street Journal, under ownership of News Corp. (Rupert Murdoch’s company), released exclusive findings connecting Trump to Epstein via a 2003 birthday note. Although the paper did not initially share an image of the note, its written details aligned with the photograph published by Democratic lawmakers on social media. Trump labeled the report as “fake” and maintained he did not author the described drawing.
Next Steps for Trump
The dismissal was without prejudice, allowing Trump to resubmit an amended claim by April 27th. His lawyer reiterated the president’s commitment to holding “Fake News” accountable, stating the case would continue to challenge those spreading misleading information to the public.