A federal court handed President Donald Trump a significant setback in his high-stakes legal clash with The Wall Street Journal over reporting tied to his alleged connection to Jeffrey Epstein.
Donald Trump’s lawsuit against WSJ dismissed by federal judge
A federal judge in Florida dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, NBC News reports.
U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled Trump’s suit failed to meet the actual malice standard required in defamation cases. The lawsuit targeted a Journal story about a bawdy birthday card Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
Trump sued in July after the Journal reported a birthday book assembled for Epstein’s 50th birthday included a bizarre card from Trump. The card featured a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman with Trump’s first name signed in the pubic area. It also contained a typewritten note depicting an imaginary conversation with Epstein, who was later charged with sex trafficking.
Judge Gayles found Trump’s case fell short of proving the Journal acted with reckless disregard for the truth. The judge noted the Journal contacted Trump, Justice Department officials, and the FBI before publishing its story. Trump responded with a denial, the Justice Department did not respond, and the FBI declined to comment.
Trump’s attorneys had accused the paper of fabricating the card entirely. Epstein’s estate later released a copy of a card matching the Journal’s description. Trump and the White House maintain the card is a fake. The ruling did not address whether Trump actually authored the card.
A spokesman for Trump’s legal team stated that Trump would refile the lawsuit. The spokesman called it a “powerhouse lawsuit” and said Trump would “continue to hold accountable those who traffic in Fake News.” A spokesperson for the Journal’s publisher, Dow Jones, said the company stood behind the reporting and its reliability.
Gayles dismissed the case without prejudice, giving Trump two weeks to file an amended complaint. Trump has not faced any charges connected to Epstein and has denied any wrongdoing.
