A US federal judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by former President Donald Trump against the publisher of The Wall Street Journal on Monday. US District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami, Florida, ruled that Trump failed to present a valid legal claim demonstrating he was defamed by an article concerning a letter bearing his name and addressed to financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Judge Gayles, appointed by former President Barack Obama, wrote that both counts of the lawsuit must be dismissed because "President Trump has failed to plausibly allege that the defendants published the article with 'actual malice'." The judge indicated Trump could file an amended complaint if he wishes, setting a deadline of April 27.
Representatives for Trump and the publisher of The Wall Street Journal have not yet responded to requests for comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported last July that a letter was included in a birthday tribute book given to Epstein in 2003 for his 50th birthday. The letter's printed text was framed by the outline of a nude female figure. It read: "Happy Birthday – May every day be another wonderful secret." The letter was signed "Donald."
The report included comments from Trump, who denied writing the letter and threatened legal action.
One day later, Trump sued The Wall Street Journal's publisher Dow Jones & Company, its parent company News Corp, and other individuals in federal court, seeking billions of dollars in damages. The lawsuit also named News Corp's Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch, its Chief Executive Robert Thomson, and two Wall Street Journal reporters as defendants.
Trump argued that no such authentic letter or drawing existed and claimed The Wall Street Journal was attempting to damage his character.
Attorneys for Dow Jones stated the reporting was accurate and cited the letter, which was later released by the House Oversight Committee. The committee had obtained a copy of the tribute book from Epstein's estate.
They also argued the letter's content was consistent with Trump's public persona and noted the article included Trump's denial. The lawyers wrote, "President Trump has also publicly acknowledged engaging in 'locker room talk' and has made numerous vulgar public statements."
Trump has stated he cut ties with Epstein before the financier's initial arrest in 2006. In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty in a Florida state court to charges of soliciting a minor for prostitution. In 2019, federal prosecutors charged Epstein with sex trafficking minors in Florida and New York. Epstein died in a Manhattan federal jail while awaiting trial.
The article was published as the Trump administration faced scrutiny for not releasing more Justice Department documents related to Epstein. Last November, Congress passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, requiring the Attorney General to release non-classified documents related to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell within 30 days. Trump signed the bill, leading to the release of millions of pages of documents, photos, and other records.
The former president has frequently filed lawsuits against media organizations. Last September, a federal judge dismissed a $15 billion defamation lawsuit Trump filed against The New York Times, book publisher Penguin Random House, and several journalists. The ruling characterized the president's legal filing as a political manifesto that violated basic court requirements. Trump later submitted a revised version. The New York Times and co-defendants have stated the lawsuit lacks legal merit and have again asked the court to dismiss it.
Trump also sued the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) for defamation in December, alleging the broadcaster edited a documentary containing a speech he made before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. The BBC has moved to dismiss the case, with a spokesperson stating the news organization will defend itself in court.
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