24 July 2025
By Publisher Ray Carmen
In a high-stakes turn, former President Donald Trump has launched a $10 billion defamation lawsuit—filed July 18, 2025, in the Southern District of Florida—targeting Rupert Murdoch, News Corp, Dow Jones, and two Wall Street Journal reporters. The lawsuit challenges a WSJ story asserting that Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a sexually suggestive birthday letter complete with a nude sketch in 2003—a report Trump describes as “false and malicious,” claiming “he doesn’t draw” .
Why this lawsuit matters
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Unprecedented claim: If successful, a $10 billion damages award would dwarf any prior U.S. defamation verdict—largely exceeding Alex Jones’s $1.5 billion judgment and Fox News’s $787.5 million settlement with Dominion .
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Defamation law’s toughest test: Trump must prove the Journal knowingly or recklessly published falsehoods—showing “actual malice.”
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Press freedoms at risk: The case raises concerns over media censorship and retaliation. The New York Times criticized Trump’s decision to block WSJ from White House access as a dangerous precedent .
Latest developments
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DOJ grand jury move: Acting on Trump’s direction, Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts—agreed with DOJ/FBI that “no incriminating client list” exists—but now subject to judicial review .
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Judge assignment & potential early signals: The case is now overseen by a federal judge appointed by Barack Obama (Judge Darrin Gayles). This early procedural step is being seen as something of an “opening blow” in the litigation .
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Inside political ripple effect: VP J.D. Vance visited Murdoch’s ranch shortly before the WSJ story dropped, adding fuel to speculation of behind‑the‑scenes sparks between Trump’s camp and Murdoch’s empire .
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Base confusion: Amid GOP pressures and Blues demanding transparency, Trump’s MAGA supporters remain torn: while he “denounce[s] the conspiracy theories,” some feel betrayed by the DOJ’s limited disclosures .
What to watch next
|
Question |
Potential Impact |
|---|---|
|
Will Trump survive ‘actual malice’? |
Victory requires proving WSJ knowingly lied or ignored truth—a high bar in U.S. law. |
|
Will grand jury transcripts be released? |
Could expose deeper details; judge’s ruling might take months. |
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Will Murdoch be deposed? |
Trump’s lawyers intend to question Murdoch directly—could force uncomfortable disclosures. |
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Will this chill journalism? |
A heavy verdict may embolden defamation suits and intimidate investigative reporting. |
Final Word
This lawsuit transcends a typical defamation claim—it’s now a battleground for press freedom, reputation control, and political theater. With monumental legal and cultural stakes, every next filing, deposition and court decision will shape both Trump’s future and journalistic resilience.
