Judge dismisses Trump’s $10B defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein story

A federal judge has thrown out President Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, ruling that the former president failed to meet the legal threshold required to prove the outlet acted with malice in its reporting about Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice, giving Trump until April 27 to potentially refile.

The controversy traces back to Trump’s past association with Epstein, a financier who pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor and later died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Authorities have said Epstein abused more than 1,000 victims. Trump has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

The case stemmed from a July article describing a 2003 birthday book compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday, which allegedly included a provocative card attributed to Trump. Trump denied any connection to the letter and sued the paper, its parent company Dow Jones, owner Rupert Murdoch, and the reporters involved, claiming the story was a coordinated attempt to damage his reputation.

In a detailed 17-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles determined that Trump’s complaint fell far short of demonstrating “actual malice,” the standard requiring proof that false information was published knowingly or with reckless disregard for the truth. “Because President Trump has not plausibly alleged that Defendants published the Article with actual malice, both Counts must be dismissed,” the judge wrote. Gayles emphasized that the newspaper made efforts to verify its reporting before publication, noting that journalists sought comment from Trump, the Justice Department, and the FBI. Trump denied the claims, while federal agencies declined or did not respond. The judge said these steps undercut the argument that the publication acted recklessly, adding that Trump’s allegations “come nowhere close” to meeting the legal bar.

Trump’s legal team had argued the story was a “deliberate smear campaign designed to damage President Trump’s reputation” and expose him to “public hatred and ridicule.” They also claimed the letter was fabricated. However, a document matching the Journal’s description was later released by Epstein’s estate, though Trump and the White House continue to insist it is not authentic.

The ruling does not determine whether Trump actually wrote the letter. Instead, Gayles made clear that such factual questions are not resolved at this stage, stating that “whether President Trump was the author of the Letter or Epstein’s friend are questions of fact that cannot be determined at this stage of the litigation.”

Representatives for Dow Jones welcomed the outcome, saying, “We are pleased with the judge’s decision to dismiss this complaint. We stand behind the reliability, rigor and accuracy of The Wall Street Journal’s reporting.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Trump indicated the former president may pursue the case again, saying he intends to continue holding media organizations accountable.

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