Trump Files $10 Billion Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Claims.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), its owner Rupert Murdoch, and parent companies Dow Jones and News Corp, following a report linking him to Jeffrey Epstein. Filed in a Miami federal court, the suit targets the newspaper and two of its reporters, accusing them of publishing a “false and malicious” story that threatens to inflict severe political and reputational damage on the 79-year-old Republican leader.

The WSJ article, published on Thursday, alleged that in 2003, Trump, then a prominent real estate magnate, sent a birthday note to Epstein, which the paper claimed included a sketch and a cryptic reference to a shared “secret.” Trump has fiercely denied these allegations, taking to his Truth Social platform to dismiss the report as “fake news.” In a fiery post late Friday, he declared, “We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is, The Wall Street Journal.” He further insisted, “It’s not my language. It’s not my words. I don’t draw pictures of women,” despite U.S. media reports noting Trump’s history of sketching for charity events in the early 2000s.

. The lawsuit argues that no such note exists and accuses the WSJ of intentionally aiming to damage Trump’s reputation, with the story reaching millions worldwide. “Given the timing of the article, the overwhelming financial and reputational harm suffered by President Trump will continue to multiply,” the filing stated, highlighting the defendants’ alleged malicious intent.

Dow Jones, the WSJ’s publisher, stood firm in response. A spokesperson stated, “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

The controversy coincides with mounting pressure from Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) base, frustrated by what they perceive as a government cover-up of Epstein’s activities and his 2019 death in a New York prison cell, officially ruled a suicide. Epstein, once a close associate of Trump and other high-profile figures, was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges at the time of his death, fueling conspiracy theories among far-right supporters. To quell the unrest, Trump directed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to request the unsealing of grand jury testimony from Epstein’s prosecution, citing “extensive public interest” in a New York court filing. However, whether a judge will approve this unusual request remains uncertain.

Trump’s relationship with Epstein, documented through photographs and videos at social events in the 1990s and early 2000s, has long been scrutinized, though no evidence of wrongdoing has surfaced. The lawsuit faces a high legal bar, requiring Trump to prove the WSJ acted with “actual malice,” knowing the story was false or showing reckless disregard for its truth. Legal expert Jesse Gessin, in a recent interview with The Business Standard, called the $10 billion claim “unprecedented,” noting it would dwarf historic defamation awards, such as the $1.5 billion judgment against Alex Jones or Fox News’ $787.5 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems.

The case marks a dramatic escalation in Trump’s ongoing battle with media outlets, following settlements in 2024 $15 million with ABC News and $16 million with CBS’s parent company, Paramount. As the Epstein saga continues to stir division, even among Trump’s loyal supporters, this lawsuit underscores his determination to control the narrative surrounding his past associations.