Judge Dismisses Trump's $10 Billion Lawsuit Against The Wall Street Journal

A federal judge in Miami has dismissed former President Donald Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, News Corp, over a story concerning his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump had not proven the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice, a standard required for public figures suing for libel.

Gayles dismissed the suit "with prejudice," meaning it cannot be refiled. The judge stated that the lawsuit attempted to "manufacture" flaws in the Journal's reporting and that the allegations regarding malice were "conclusory, vague, sometimes inconsistent with the Article, and often irrelevant."

The lawsuit stemmed from a 2021 report that detailed a sexually suggestive letter and drawing, allegedly bearing Trump's name, that was included in an album compiled for Epstein's 50th birthday. The letter, reportedly collected by Ghislaine Maxwell, contained text framed by the outline of a naked woman and concluded with "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret." Trump denied writing the letter, calling the story "false, malicious, and defamatory."

In his ruling, Gayles cited the Supreme Court's 1964 decision in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, which requires public figures to demonstrate that a media outlet knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.

The judge also noted that the Journal's article included Trump's denial of writing the letter and his assertion that it was fake. Gayles had previously dismissed the suit in April but allowed Trump to file an amended complaint in May, which has now also been dismissed.

The dismissal is the latest in a series of adversarial relationships Trump has had with news organizations. He has frequently denounced outlets he deems critical as "fake news" and has engaged in other lawsuits with media organizations.