Archive · 23 Sep 2025
WSJ Seeks Dismissal of Trump's $10B Defamation Suit
The Wall Street Journal is asking a judge to dismiss a $10 billion lawsuit from Donald Trump.
Trump sued the Journal because of an article about a letter he allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Journal's lawyers say the article is accurate and should be protected by free speech laws.
They argue the letter's content, which included a sexually suggestive sketch and message, aligns with Trump's public persona.
The Journal claims the lawsuit is an attempt to silence them and that the article didn't cause any real harm.
The Wall Street Journal seeks to dismiss Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit.
The lawsuit concerns the Journal’s reporting on an alleged birthday letter Trump wrote to Jeffrey Epstein.
The Journal's lawyers claim the article is true and protected by the First Amendment.
The letter included a sexually suggestive sketch and the message: “may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump denies writing the note and has called the article “false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS.”
- Who
- Donald Trump and The Wall Street Journal, its parent companies, and Rupert Murdoch
- What
- The Wall Street Journal seeks dismissal of Trump's defamation lawsuit over reporting on a letter.
- When
- The motion was filed recently.
- Where
- In a US federal court.
- Why
- The Journal argues the article is true and protected by the First Amendment.
Donald Trump
The Wall Street Journal
Truth of the Report
Donald Trump
Claims the article is false and defamatory, with no authentic letter or drawing existing.
The Wall Street Journal
Argues the article is true and based on publicly available evidence; that it is protected by the First Amendment.
- Plaintiff
- Donald Trump
- Defendants
- The Wall Street Journal, parent companies, Rupert Murdoch
- Lawsuit Type
- Defamation
- Damages Sought
- $10 billion
- Subject of Lawsuit
- Report on Trump's Epstein letter
- WSJ Argument
- Article is true and protected by First Amendment
