US Judge Dismisses Trump’s $10bn Defamation Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal

A United States federal judge has dismissed President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones, ruling that the case failed to establish the legal requirements for a defamation claim.

Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning Trump cannot file the same case again. In his ruling, the judge described the legal arguments as “grasping at straws” and said they attempted to manufacture flaws in the newspaper's reporting.

Dispute Over Alleged Epstein Birthday Letter

Trump filed the lawsuit against Dow Jones, Rupert Murdoch and other parties after The Wall Street Journal published a report about an alleged letter bearing his name in a birthday book prepared for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.

The newspaper reported that the letter contained suggestive language and a drawing outlining a woman's body. It allegedly ended with a birthday message referring to friendship and secrets.

Trump denied writing or signing the letter, describing it as fake. He accused the newspaper of slandering him and violating libel laws by publishing the report.

Judge Says Trump Failed to Prove Actual Malice

In his 20-page ruling, Gayles said Trump's legal team failed to demonstrate that the defendants published the report knowing it was false or with reckless disregard for the truth.

This standard, known as “actual malice”, is required in defamation cases involving public figures under US law.

The judge also rejected the argument that the newspaper should have abandoned its report simply because Trump denied writing the letter when contacted during its investigation.

Gayles said accepting that argument would prevent journalists from publishing reports that contradict claims made by public figures, a position he said would conflict with the First Amendment's protection of press freedom.

Second Dismissal of the Lawsuit

The latest ruling follows an earlier dismissal of Trump's defamation lawsuit, which initially sought $20 billion in damages. His legal team subsequently refiled the case with a reduced demand of $10 billion.

The dispute emerged amid broader political controversy over the Trump administration's handling of documents relating to Epstein, whose connections with prominent figures have attracted renewed public scrutiny.

With the latest dismissal issued with prejudice, the case cannot be brought again in its current form.

BBC News