Judge Ends Trump's $10 Billion WSJ Lawsuit
A federal judge ruled the claim failed to meet the high legal bar for actual malice.
By Claire Herrera ·
Federal Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed President Donald Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company Dow Jones. The ruling concludes a legal battle that began last year over the newspaper's coverage of a letter tied to Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday.
The suit sought damages after the Journal reported on a document from 2003. That year, Epstein had not yet faced sex crime charges. The letter, which appeared in a birthday book, bore Trump's name and signature. It included suggestive text and a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman. Trump has consistently denied writing or signing the document.
Gayles issued a 20-page decision finding the claim violated the First Amendment. The judge stated that the legal team failed to prove the defendants acted with actual malice. This standard requires proof that a publisher knew a statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Gayles described the suit as grasping at straws to manufacture flaws in the paper's investigation.
The judge previously dismissed an earlier version of the suit that sought $20 billion. This time, he threw out the case with prejudice, barring Trump from filing the same claim again. Gayles noted that the Journal conducted a thoughtful and detailed investigation before publishing.
Trump's team argued the letter was fake and that the newspaper should have stopped its story after Trump denied writing it. Gayles rejected that logic. He wrote that requiring journalists to ignore other findings when a public figure denies an accusation would conflict with the American privilege to speak one's mind. The ruling affirms that a mere denial does not block publication of contradictory press.
The story broke during a period of intense bipartisan criticism regarding the administration's handling of Epstein documents. The letter reportedly contained a joke that enigmas never age. It ended with the words: A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret.
The dismissal stands as a final judgment on the specific defamation claim. The case remains closed in federal court.
Source: Casualty
