The former US President files a massive defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its reporters, and parent company, accusing them of publishing false claims about a letter tied to Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday.
Washington DC [US], July 19: US President Donald Trump on Saturday filed a libel lawsuit seeking at least USD 20 billion against the publisher of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and the reporters who authored a story alleging that a collection of letters gifted to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003 included a note with Trump’s name and an outline of a naked woman.
Trump has strongly denied writing the note, calling the story fabricated. According to a CNN report, the lawsuit claims that the article is “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, “BREAKING NEWS: 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. This historic legal action is being brought against the so-called authors of this defamation, the now fully disgraced WSJ, as well as its corporate owners and affiliates, with Rupert Murdoch and Robert Thomson (whatever his role is!) at the top of the list.”
Trump further attacked mainstream media, stating, “We have proudly held to account ABC and George Slopadopoulos, CBS and 60 Minutes, The Fake Pulitzer Prizes, and many others who deal in, and push, disgusting LIES, and even FRAUD, to the American People.”
He added, “This lawsuit is filed not only on behalf of your favorite President, ME, but also in order to continue standing up for ALL Americans who will no longer tolerate the abusive wrongdoings of the Fake News Media. I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case. Thank you for your attention to this matter. We will, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The 18-page lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Miami, accuses the Journal’s parent company of “glaring failures in journalistic ethics and standards of accurate reporting.” Trump’s legal team highlighted that the Journal did not publish the alleged drawing or letter, arguing, “The reason for those failures is because no authentic letter or drawing exists.”
The lawsuit names WSJ reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, who authored the controversial story, as defendants. Trump had threatened legal action almost immediately after the article was published late Thursday afternoon.