A federal judge has permanently dismissed a multi-billion-dollar defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones. The legal action stemmed from the newspaper's reporting regarding a sexually suggestive birthday letter linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles in Miami ruled on Saturday that the president's legal team failed to adequately demonstrate that the publication acted with "actual malice." Under U.S. law, public figures must prove that a media outlet published false statements with knowledge of their falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth. Gayles noted that requiring journalists to withhold stories simply because a public figure denies them would violate First Amendment protections.
The lawsuit originated from a July 2025 report concerning a 2003 birthday album compiled for Epstein that featured a letter bearing Trump's name. Trump vehemently denied authoring the document and subsequently launched a high-profile legal challenge against the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper, its reporters, and corporate executives.
Judge Gayles had previously dismissed an earlier iteration of the complaint in April without prejudice, giving the plaintiff an opportunity to amend the filing. Because Saturday's dismissal was issued with prejudice, the current lawsuit cannot be refiled, though representatives for the president indicated an appeal may be considered.
