US judge dismisses Trump’s $10bn defamation case against Wall Street Journal
A US judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against The Wall Street Journal and its publisher over a report linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump had sued the newspaper and its owners, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch, in a Florida federal court last year, seeking at least $10bn (£7.4bn) in damages.
The case centred on a July 17 article which claimed Trump’s name appeared in a 2003 “birthday book” compiled for Epstein. According to the report, the entry allegedly included a message and a drawing, which Trump has strongly denied, calling it “fake.”
However, US District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump failed to meet the legal threshold required for defamation claims involving public figures.
In his decision, the judge said Trump came “nowhere close” to proving that the newspaper acted with “actual malice” — a key legal standard requiring proof that a publication knowingly spread false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.
As a result, the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning Trump still has the option to file an amended lawsuit. He has been given until April 27 to refile.
Trump’s legal team has already indicated plans to continue the fight, with his lawyer stating that the president intends to pursue a revised case and hold media organisations accountable for what he describes as “fake news.”
The News Corp-owned Wall Street Journal had reported details from the alleged birthday message but did not initially publish an image. Later, Democratic lawmakers released a photo of the note, which reportedly matched the newspaper’s description.
Trump has consistently denied any involvement, rejecting the claims and maintaining that the message was fabricated.
The ruling highlights the high bar public figures must meet in defamation cases in the United States, particularly when challenging major media organisations.
