President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, targeting Rupert Murdoch, Dow Jones, News Corp, the Wall Street Journal, two WSJ reporters, and WSJ CEO Robert Thomson.
The case has been randomly assigned to Judge Darrin P. Gayles, a 2014 appointee of Barack Obama and notably the first openly gay African-American judge on the federal bench. According to court assignment protocols, Judge Gayles handles cases in the Miami, where the lawsuit was filed.
JUST IN: President Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal has been assigned to Judge Darrin P. Gayles in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.
Judge Gayles, 58, is a Barack Obama appointee who made… pic.twitter.com/Pul9mtNRzc
— Melissa Hallman (@dotconnectinga) July 21, 2025
The lawsuit centers on a Wall Street Journal article published July 17, 2025, which claimed that in 2003, Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a cryptic birthday message complete with a nude drawing and the inscription, “May every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump vehemently denied writing any such letter, labeling the report “false, malicious, defamatory,” and promised to pursue legal action.
The crux of Trump’s argument is that the WSJ lacked any valid evidence. The complaint states the defendants “failed to attach the letter, failed to attach the alleged drawing, failed to show proof” that Trump authored or signed it, and “published false, defamatory, FAKE NEWS” with reckless disregard for the truth.
Legal experts note that this $10 billion demand is unusually large, dwarfing past high-profile defamation settlements like Alex Jones’s $1.5 billion and Fox News’s $787.5 million payout to Dominion Voting Systems. Attorneys say Trump must prove “actual malice,” meaning the defendants knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard, a tough burden rooted in the landmark New York Times Co. v. Sullivan decision.
As the defendants, Murdoch, News Corp, Dow Jones, and the WSJ reporters, prepare their defense, a spokesperson for the publication has stated it has “full confidence in the rigor and accuracy” of its journalism and plans to vigorously contest the suit.
While the lawsuit is still in its early stages, the discovery phase could prove significant. Experts suggest that depositions and document disclosures could delve into Trump’s ties with Epstein and Murdoch’s editorial decision-making processes. The newspaper might even have the opportunity to subpoena Trump or Murdoch themselves.
Politically, the lawsuit arrives amid renewed attention on Epstein-related matters. The Justice Department has sought to unseal grand jury transcripts concerning Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, a move spurred by criticism from Trump’s base over a perceived lack of transparency.
Throughout his career, Trump has filed several defamation suits against media organizations, including ABC News and Paramount Global, some resolved with multi-million-dollar settlements. What sets this action apart is its scale and the personal targeting of Murdoch himself. Trump has taken to social media to describe the WSJ as “a pile of garbage” and expressed eagerness for Murdoch to be deposed.
Some experts believe Trump will drop the lawsuit to avoid having to testify in court and speculate it is simply a distraction from the Epstein controversy.
For now, both sides prepare for motions over jurisdiction and the sufficiency of the complaint. Discovery is likely to begin in the coming months, but a final verdict or settlement is unlikely before late 2026.
