Federal Judge Permanently Dismisses Trump's $10B Defamation Suit Against WSJ Over Epstein Birthday Letter

A U.S. District Judge in Miami has dismissed with prejudice President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, its parent company Dow Jones, Rupert Murdoch, and two reporters, ruling that the president failed to plausibly allege 'actual malice' as required for public figures under First Amendment precedents. The Oct. 31, 2026 ruling by Judge Darrin P. Gayles ended the case permanently after an earlier dismissal without prejudice allowed Trump to refile an amended complaint seeking $10 billion in damages.

The suit stemmed from a July 2025 WSJ article reporting on a letter bearing Trump's name included in a 2003 birthday album compiled for Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday. The letter reportedly featured typewritten text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman and ended with the phrase, 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.' Trump has consistently denied authoring, drawing, or signing the letter, calling the report false and malicious.

In his 20-page opinion, Gayles found the WSJ's reporting reflected a 'thoughtful and detailed investigation,' including efforts to contact Trump, his team, the Department of Justice, FBI, Ghislaine Maxwell, and others. The article incorporated Trump's denials, which the judge noted undermined claims of reckless disregard for the truth. Gayles rejected arguments that publishing despite denials or 'reviewing' rather than possessing a physical copy of the letter constituted actual malice, stating the complaint was 'grasping at straws' and sought to 'manufacture flaws' in the journalism.

Corroboration emerged later when the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform subpoenaed the Epstein estate, which provided a copy of the birthday book containing a matching letter. Maxwell had previously stated under penalty of perjury that she did not recall Trump submitting a letter. The judge emphasized that the actual malice standard does not require journalists to abandon reporting upon a public figure's denial.

The decision underscores the high bar for defamation claims by public officials and protects press scrutiny of figures connected to high-profile scandals. Defendants have 30 days to seek attorneys' fees under anti-SLAPP protections. Trump's legal team has indicated plans to appeal.

This ruling arrives amid ongoing public and bipartisan interest in Epstein-related documents, highlighting tensions between accountability for powerful individuals and protections for investigative reporting that informs citizens about historical associations and institutional handling of such cases.