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By Robert Alexander
Senior Crime & Court Reporter
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Defendants in the $10 billion defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal over a story about the U.S. president and Jeffrey Epstein have submitted their first court filing of note.
Trump filed a complaint on Friday saying the defendants had defamed him in a July 17 report published by the Wall Street Journal about a sexually suggestive note the article alleges was sent to Epstein for his 50th birthday, bearing Trump's signature. In the complaint, Trump called the article "false, malicious, and defamatory" in its attempt to "inextricably link President Trump to Epstein" by falsely claiming that Trump "authored, drew, and signed [the] card" to the disgraced financier.
The six defendants submitted a joint motion on July 22 requesting both an extension to respond to the complaint and the sealing of court documents containing personal addresses.
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Newsweek has contacted the Journal and the White House for comment by email.
Why It Matters
The Journal's reporting complicated the president's efforts to distance himself from Epstein. The convicted child sex offender died in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019, but his relationships with powerful individuals continue to generate legal and political fallout.
Initially, the White House had ordered a review of the Epstein case and said it would publish names and evidence about his alleged associates. When a joint FBI-Department of Justice memo said Epstein had died by suicide, there was no "client list" and that no further charges would be brought, there was outcry from those calling for transparency in the case.
While Trump has slammed those calling for the government to release more information as "troublemakers", he asked the Department of Justice to release grand jury testimony related to the case.
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What To Know
The legal filing marks the initial legal maneuver in a case centered on allegations made in the Journal report on July 17 which referenced a leather-bound album presented to Epstein on his 50th birthday containing notes from friends and acquaintances.
Trump denies creating or signing one of the notes and is seeking at least $10 billion in damages. The case, Trump v. Murdoch Case No. 1:25-cv-23232, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on July 18.
On July 22, the defendants—The Journal, its parent company NewsCorp and founder Murdoch, Dow Jones (which publishes the Journal) and reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo—filed a joint motion asking the court to extend the deadline for responding to the complaint. The initial deadline was August 12, 2025; the defense now has until September 22, 2025, to file a response.
According to the motion, the request to seal the docket entries was made to address concerns about the public disclosure of personal addresses. The defense cited potential risks, and the privacy interests of the individuals involved, noting that the nature of the allegations and the identities of the defendants could expose them to unwanted attention or harm.
The motion, which Trump's legal team did not oppose, also seeks to seal several docket entries that contain residential addresses of certain defendants, including Murdoch, Safdar, and NewsCorp CEO Robert Thomson.
Federal courts have discretion to seal judicial records when a party shows "good cause." When disclosure could result in a clearly defined and serious injury, the court must weigh the public's right to access court records against the privacy or safety interests of those affected.
Judge Darrin P. Gayles granted both requests in an order issued the same day. The affected documents will be sealed from public access, and the defense will have additional time to prepare their response.
As of publication, there has been no public comment from the defense team regarding the court's decision to extend the filing deadline to September.
What People Are Saying
President Trump said in a Truth Social post on July 18: "The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly... that the supposed letter they printed ...was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued... It has truly turned out to be a 'Disgusting and Filthy Rag' and, writing defamatory lies like this, shows their desperation to remain relevant."
A spokesperson for the Journal's parent company Dow Jones said on July 18: "The company [has] full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting" and "will vigorously defend against any lawsuit."
What Happens Next
No scheduling order or initial conference date has yet been set, and discovery proceedings have not yet commenced.
With the deadline extended, the defense now has until September 22 to file a response.
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