By Hudson Institute
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion (£7.5 billion) lawsuit against Dow Jones, the parent company of The Wall Street Journal, and its owner Rupert Murdoch, over what he claims is a defamatory article falsely linking him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The lawsuit stems from a Wall Street Journal report which alleged that a birthday greeting, bearing Trump’s name and described as “bawdy,” had been sent to Epstein in 2003 — prior to the financier being charged with any sex crimes. Trump has flatly denied writing the note, calling the report slanderous and in violation of U.S. libel laws.
In the lawsuit, Trump maintains that the note is a fabrication. The publication described it as a typewritten message enclosed within the hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, supposedly styled as a fictional exchange between Trump and Epstein. According to the article, the note ended with the line: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The note also included a quip that “enigmas never age.”
Trump, who took to social media to lash out at the newspaper, wrote: “We have just filed a powerhouse lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, fake news ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is The Wall Street Journal.” He also warned Murdoch and his associates: “I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case.”
The former president also claimed that The Wall Street Journal and Murdoch had been warned ahead of publication that legal action would follow if the article was printed.
Dow Jones issued a response through a spokesperson, stating: “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
Despite their historically complex relationship, Murdoch was seen with Trump attending the FIFA Club World Cup on Sunday, just days before the legal complaint was filed. Murdoch’s global media empire, which includes Fox News, has been widely credited by analysts with playing a key role in Trump’s rise to the presidency.
Trump, reacting to the article, dismissed the notion that he had written or drawn anything included in the letter, stating: “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.”
The lawsuit comes as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) intensifies its focus on the Epstein case. In a separate legal development, the department formally requested a judge to unseal key materials related to Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking charges, including transcripts from grand jury proceedings. The request follows widespread criticism of the Trump administration’s perceived lack of transparency regarding Epstein and his associates.
The DOJ, acting under the direction of Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, is seeking to make public evidence from Epstein’s grand jury case, arguing that it qualifies as a matter of “significant public interest.” Such grand jury records are typically kept sealed, but a judge can choose to release them if the public interest outweighs the need for confidentiality.
The department is also requesting disclosures related to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, who was convicted for her role in the child sex trafficking conspiracy.
Trump, in a surprising move, directed Attorney General Bondi to pursue the release of the documents — a directive that appears to respond to mounting pressure from his own base. The DOJ’s legal motion aims to determine whether public access to the grand jury transcripts is justified.
However, it remains unclear when or if the documents will be made public — or whether they will contain the kind of explosive revelations that some of Trump’s supporters have long anticipated.
In recent days, criticism of Trump’s handling of the Epstein materials has intensified, even from within his loyalist base. Some of his staunchest supporters are expressing frustration over the pace and transparency of the DOJ’s actions.
California gubernatorial candidate and Republican sheriff Chad Bianco criticized the administration’s response, telling the BBC: “Trump’s handling of the Epstein files was not what I was expecting, and millions of his followers are disappointed. We feel like we’re being talked down to like stupid children.”
Meanwhile, calls for full disclosure have united lawmakers from across the political spectrum. A bipartisan group in Congress is now pushing for a “discharge petition” to force the release of all Epstein-related documents held by the Justice Department. The petition has drawn support from ideologically opposed figures such as Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The mounting legal and political developments around Epstein — combined with Trump’s $10 billion lawsuit against Murdoch and Dow Jones — mark a dramatic turn in the long-running scandal. As both legal proceedings unfold, the public remains intensely focused on whether long-sought answers about Epstein’s network and its possible ties to powerful individuals will finally come to light.
