US judge throws out Donald Trump’s lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter story

The suit accused the newspaper of publishing a false report about an alleged birthday letter sent to Jeffrey Epstein.

Published on: Apr 13, 2026, 19:28:16 IST

Edited by Anita Goswami

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A US federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against The Wall Street Journal, its publisher Dow Jones, parent company News Corp, and senior executives including Rupert Murdoch.

Donald Trump denied giving Jeffrey Epstein any birthday letter. (AP)

The suit, filed in July 2025 in a Florida federal court, sought $10 billion in damages and accused the newspaper of publishing a false report about an alleged birthday letter sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

US District Judge Darrin P Gayles on Monday said Trump failed to show the article was published with malicious intent. It allowed him, however, to file an amended complaint, news agency AP reported on Monday.

The 2003 birthday card

The report in question said a 2003 letter bearing Trump’s name was included in a birthday album compiled for Epstein by UK socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.

The letter contained typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman and ended with the line, “Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret,” as per the American daily.

The album, assembled before Epstein’s first arrest in 2006, was later reviewed by US justice department officials during investigations into Epstein and Maxwell.

Trump called report false

Trump, at the time, denied writing the letter or creating any drawing. He claimed the language and style were not his. The lawsuit said that “no authentic letter or drawing exists” and accused the defendants of fabricating the story to damage his reputation.

Trump also blasted the WSJ report as a “false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is.”

Media response

Dow Jones said at the time it had “full confidence” in the accuracy of its reporting and would defend the case. The article also gained attention after Epstein’s estate shared related material with members of Congress in 2025.

Epstein was charged in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors in Florida and New York and later died in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide.

Trump has frequently pursued legal action against media organisations. While several cases have been dismissed early, he has also secured recent settlements, including agreements with ABC News, owned by The Walt Disney Company, and Paramount Global over separate disputes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anita Goswami
Anita Goswami is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she primarily covers Indian and international news. With four years of industry experience, she has led coverage of Indian General elections, Assembly elections, and national polls in the United States, Canada, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Her reporting covers global wars and major events, including Operation Sindoor, Sheikh Hasina's ouster and the Mahakumbh Mela. She verifies facts and uses clear sources to ensure accurate reporting. As former Chief Copy Editor at Storytailors, she managed teams to produce top-quality content for networks like NDTV, Profit, CNBC-TV18, Upstox and News18. Her work is featured in NDTV, Meaww, and Global Pulse. Throughout her tenure, Anita has collaborated with and been mentored by top industry experts. When not reading, Anita can be found outdoors or at a bakery. Fields of interest: Indian political history, international elections, historical policy analysis, global conflicts, cultural events, Formula 1, art, media ethics and reporting on socio-political change over time.Read More

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