President Donald Trump has initiated a $20 billion libel lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, and two of their reporters, escalating his ongoing confrontation with major media outlets. The legal action, submitted to federal court in Miami on Friday, charges the publication with falsely linking Trump to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein through an alleged salacious birthday letter.
Trump's vehement denial of the story's veracity was punctuated by his labeling of the piece as a "complete fabrication." He has accused the Wall Street Journal of disregarding journalistic ethics and the standards of accurate reporting, emphasizing the absence of the purported letter or drawing in the article.
Written by Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, the contentious article was released on Thursday afternoon, naming both as defendants alongside their employer, Dow Jones, part of Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. In a proactive response, Trump issued a warning to the Wall Street Journal, cautioning them against publishing what he deemed a "FAKE" letter and claimed to have received Murdoch's personal assurance that the story would be halted, an assurance that apparently was not fulfilled.
On Truth Social, Trump's platform, he expressed his direct warning to Murdoch about the falsity of the letter and his intent to pursue legal action if the story went public. He insinuated that Murdoch lacked the authority to suppress the article.
Dow Jones responded with a terse statement upholding their confidence in the integrity of their reporting and their resolve to defend against Trump's charges. This lawsuit is consistent with Trump's broader strategy to challenge media narratives against him, with recent actions targeting ABC, CBS, and Meta, among others. Notably, most of these cases have concluded with financial settlements.
Trump's administration has sought to enhance transparency by unsealing grand jury testimony related to Epstein. The focus on this particular story by the Journal, however, was seen as a step too far by Trump's legal team, prompting an 18-page filing accusing the outlet of perpetuating a politically motivated falsehood.
Legal experts find Trump's move to sue the press as a sitting president atypical, with First Amendment attorney Ted Boutrous remarking to CNN on the historic nature of such defamation claims by a president. Traditionally, presidents have leveraged their influence over legal proceedings to address unfavorable media coverage, but Trump has diverged from this norm with multiple legal actions.
In 2024, Trump targeted ABC News and George Stephanopoulos over erroneous claims of guilt in the E. Jean Carroll case, leading to a significant settlement. Additional settlements have been reached with CBS, Meta, and others, with Trump hinting at further lawsuits.
The Epstein connection has reignited within Trump's base following the Justice Department's statement denying the existence of an Epstein "client list" or evidence of his murder. This has sparked claims of a cover-up among some of Trump's supporters. With the lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, Trump continues his contentious relationship with the media over Epstein-related narratives.
