Judge permanently dismisses Trump's defamation suit against Wall Street Journal

Summarised from 5 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 22:15 · Archive

A federal judge has permanently dismissed Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over its reporting of an alleged birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein.

A federal judge in Miami has permanently dismissed Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch, and the newspaper's journalists and publishers. Judge Darrin Gayles issued the ruling on Saturday, bringing an end to the legal challenge over the newspaper's reporting of an alleged birthday letter Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein.

The case stemmed from a Wall Street Journal article published last year alleging that Trump sent a letter to Epstein, the disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, for his 50th birthday in 2003. The newspaper reported that the letter included a sexually suggestive drawing and a message that read 'may every day be another wonderful secret'. Trump has repeatedly denied writing the letter and claimed the signature was not his.

Trump initially filed a defamation lawsuit seeking $10 billion in July 2025, claiming that 'no authentic letter or drawing exists' and calling the story 'false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS'. A federal judge first dismissed the lawsuit in April, but allowed Trump to revise his complaint. Trump refiled an amended version in May.

Judge Gayles dismissed the case with prejudice on Saturday, ruling that Trump failed to establish 'actual malice', the high legal threshold public figures must meet when pursuing defamation claims. Gayles wrote that Trump's allegations were 'conclusory, vague, sometimes inconsistent with the article, and often irrelevant to whether Defendants knew or should have known that the statements in the article were purportedly false'. The judge characterised the amended complaint as 'grasping at straws' and attempting to 'manufacture flaws' in the Journal's investigation.

Throughout the proceedings, the court noted that the newspaper had sought Trump's response before publication and included his direct denials in the article, evidence of appropriate reporting standards. The dismissal with prejudice means Trump cannot file another amended version of the lawsuit in district court.

Trump's legal team said the president plans to appeal the ruling. A spokesman stated: 'President Trump will continue to press forward in his powerhouse lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and all of the other defendants. The President will continue to hold those who mislead the American People with Fake News and smears accountable for their actions.'

A spokesperson for Dow Jones, which owns the Journal, told the media they were 'pleased with the court's decision'. Spokespeople for the Journal and Murdoch did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

How it is being reported

• Judge dismisses Trump suit over Wall Street Journal's Epstein reportA judge dismissed President Donald Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal related to its reporting on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.UPI · 31 Oct, 22:05
• Judge dismisses with prejudice Trump lawsuit against Wall Street JournalIn a 20-page ruling, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami dismissed the suit with prejudice, ruling that President Trump did not prove the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice.CBS News · 31 Oct, 20:59
• Trump defamation suit against Murdoch, WSJ over Epstein letter dismissed with prejudiceBy dismissing the suit with prejudice, Trump can't file another amended version in district court. Trump's legal team said the president plans to appeal.CNBC · 31 Oct, 20:39
• Judge dismisses Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letterRuling ‘with prejudice’ means US president may not amend or refile his lawsuit over his alleged birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein A US judge dismissed Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal with prejudice on Saturday, according to a court filing, bringing an end to his legal challenge over the newspaper’s reporting on his alleged birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. The decision follows an earlier dismissal in April that had allowed Trump to revise his complaint. As of Saturday, the case is dismissed with prejudice, meaning the lawsuit cannot be amended or refiled. Continue…The Guardian · 31 Oct, 20:31
• Judge permanently throws out Trump’s Wall Street Journal defamation lawsuit over Epstein letter storyThe president failed to show the newspaper acted with ‘actual malice’ by publishing sexually suggestive birthday noteIndependent World · 31 Oct, 19:59

In this story: Donald Trump · Wall Street Journal · Rupert Murdoch · Jeffrey Epstein · Darrin Gayles · Miami · Dow Jones · News Corp

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