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By Andrew Stanton and Gabe Whisnant
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A federal judge on Monday dismissed President Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its publisher, Rupert Murdoch, over an article examining Trump’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, while allowing the president an opportunity to amend his complaint.
A spokesperson for Trump's legal team told Newsweek, "President Trump will follow Judge Gayles’ ruling and guidance to refile this powerhouse lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and all of the other Defendants. The President will continue to hold accountable those who traffic in Fake News to mislead the American People.”
A spokesperson for Dow Jones, which publishes The Wall Street Journal, responded to the ruling in a statement to Newsweek.
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"We are pleased with the judge’s decision to dismiss this complaint. We stand behind the reliability, rigor and accuracy of The Wall Street Journal's reporting," the statement reads.
What Is the 'Wall Street Journal' Lawsuit About?
Trump filed the lawsuit in July after the newspaper published a story describing a sexually suggestive letter that the Journal said bore Trump’s signature and appeared in a 2003 birthday album prepared for Epstein. The article renewed attention on Trump’s well-documented association with the disgraced financier.
Trump has faced criticism over his administration's handling of documents related to investigations into Epstein, who was found dead in a New York City federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking. Trump campaigned on releasing the Epstein files, but has faced criticism over the slow release and redactions.
Trump has faced questions about his friendship with Epstein. The president has said he was unaware of Epstein’s activities and has denied any involvement. Trump also said he cut ties with Epstein and threw him out of his Mar-a-Lago club upon learning about allegations made against Epstein. Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein's or Maxwell's crimes.
Why Was the Suit Dismissed?
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles, nominated to his post by former Democratic President Barack Obama, writing in an order issued in Florida, said Trump had failed to plausibly argue that the newspaper published the article with actual malice, a required standard for defamation claims brought by public figures. Gayles said Trump may file an amended complaint addressing the deficiencies.
The letter was later released publicly by Congress after lawmakers subpoenaed records from Epstein’s estate. Trump has denied authoring the letter, calling the reporting “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
"The Complaint also alleges that President Trump told Defendants that the Letter was a fake before they ran the Article. President Trump argues that this allegation shows that Defendants acted with serious doubts about the truth of their reporting and, therefore, with actual malice. The Court disagrees," the judge wrote in the ruling.
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Attorneys for Dow Jones and Murdoch had urged Gayles to rule that the article was true and therefore not defamatory. The judge declined to do so, writing that questions about whether Trump wrote the letter or was Epstein’s friend are factual disputes that cannot be resolved at the current stage of the case.
The ruling adds to ongoing challenges facing the Trump administration amid fallout from the release of Epstein-related files.
The White House has commented on the ruling.
The letter was published by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in September and was included in a 50th-birthday album compiled in 2003 for Epstein. The album also contained an alleged letter from former President Bill Clinton, which reads, "It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends."
Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told Newsweek it's unsurprising that the case was dismissed because it's "not a particularly strong case to show malice."
Trump could refile or appeal, but likely does not have much of a chance of succeeding, Rahmani said.
"I don't think, whether he files an amended complaint, or he takes his chance on appeal, that he is going to win," he said. "I think that what you are going to start seeing is more and more newspapers, TV stations and media companies fight Trump on this because of the significant backlash that ABC and CBS received when they settled their cases with Trump."
This sort of First Amendment case is a "rare" area where there is agreement among Supreme Court justices, Rahmani said, adding that the case doesn't have much of a chance if it makes its way to the Supreme Court.
Who Owns 'The Wall Street Journal'?
The Wall Street Journal is published by Dow Jones.
What Did the Alleged Trump-Epstein Birthday Letter Say?
The alleged letter bearing Trump's name, reviewed by the Journal, is dated 2003 and is said to feature several lines of typewritten text surrounded by the outline of a naked woman, sketched in marker. The letter concluded: "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Trump has denied the validity of the note, telling the Journal, "This is not me. This is a fake thing. It's a fake Wall Street Journal story. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women. It's not my language. It's not my words."
The note featured an outline of a fictional conversation between the two men.
"Voice Over: There must be more to life than having everything," the note began.
"Donald: Yes, there is, but I won't tell you what it is," it continued. "Jeffrey: Nor will I, since I also know what it is."
"Donald: We have certain things in common, Jeffrey," the letter said. "Jeffrey: Yes, we do, come to think of it."
"Donald: Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?"
"Jeffrey: As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you."
"Trump: A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret," the fictional conversation concluded.
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
Update 4/13/26, 12:07 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 4/13/26, 12:21 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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