Judge Dismisses Trump's $10B Libel Suit Against WSJ Over Epstein Letter
Judge dismisses Trump's defamation suit against WSJ over Epstein birthday letter.
Why it matters: This ruling clarifies the high legal standard public figures must meet to prove defamation involving media outlets, reinforcing protections for news organizations covering public interest stories.
- U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on October 31, 2026.
- The lawsuit stemmed from a July 17, 2025 WSJ article about Trump allegedly sending a sexually suggestive letter and drawing to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.
- Judge Gayles ruled Trump failed to show "actual malice," a key element to prove defamation against public figures, in his amended complaint.
- The dismissal was with prejudice, preventing Trump from refiling the same claim.
On October 31, 2026, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The suit was based on a WSJ article published on July 17, 2025 detailing allegations that Trump sent a sexually suggestive letter and drawing to Jeffrey Epstein for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003.
Judge Gayles found that Trump's amended complaint did not sufficiently demonstrate "actual malice," meaning Trump failed to prove the defendants knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for truth. As the judge noted, "Indeed, the allegations regarding malice are 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."
This dismissal is the second in this litigation; the first dismissal occurred in April 2026, after which Trump was given leave to amend his complaint. However, the court ultimately dismissed the case with prejudice, barring Trump from refiling the suit on the same grounds.
The ruling underscores the high bar the law sets for public figures suing media organizations for defamation. It affirms the principle that such plaintiffs must prove the defendant's actual malice to succeed, thus reinforcing legal protections for journalistic reporting on public figures and matters of public interest.
By the numbers:
- $10 billion — amount Trump sought in damages
- July 17, 2025 — date WSJ published the Epstein birthday letter article
- October 31, 2026 — date of final dismissal with prejudice