Trump Defamation Suit Against Murdoch, WSJ Dismissed With Prejudice

A federal judge in Miami dismissed President Donald Trump's amended $10 billion defamation lawsuit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal on Saturday, blocking the former president from filing another suit with the same allegations.

Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump again failed to plausibly allege that the newspaper and other defendants acted with actual malice when they published the story in July 2025. "As with his first attempt, he has failed," Gayles wrote in a 20‑page ruling, which came more than six months after he dismissed Trump's initial complaint. "Grasping at straws, the Amended Complaint attempts to manufacture flaws with the investigation."

The dismissal with prejudice means the case is closed and cannot be refiled in federal court. Gayles said The Wall Street Journal conducted a "thoughtful and detailed investigation" and rejected Trump's argument that the paper should not have published after he denied authoring the disputed letter. The judge did not determine whether Trump actually wrote the letter; Trump has consistently denied it.

Trump was seeking $10 billion in damages from Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal, which is owned by Murdoch's News Corp. A spokesperson for Dow Jones & Co. said the publisher was pleased with the court's decision. Trump's legal team confirmed the president plans to appeal, stating he will "continue to hold those who mislead the American People with Fake News and smears accountable."

The lawsuit centered on a July 17, 2025, Journal article that described a letter bearing Trump's signature included in an album Epstein gave for his 50th birthday. The article said the letter was sent at the request of Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's close friend who was later convicted of sex trafficking. The Journal noted the letter's unusual formatting, including a hand‑drawn outline of a naked woman and a signature styled as "Donald" below her waist.

Trump's lawyers argued the Journal failed to investigate adequately and published after the president denied the letter's authenticity. Gayles rejected those claims, saying accepting them would allow public figures to block unfavorable reporting, which "runs afoul of the First Amendment."

The ruling is the latest setback in Trump's ongoing legal battles with media outlets. In a separate case, a Miami judge ordered Trump to sit for a deposition in his $10 billion defamation suit against the BBC by Dec. 11.

Source: CNBC Top News