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US judge dismisses Trump's $10 billion Journal suit
The Hindu·
Judge Darrin Gayles on October 31 dismissed President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch. Trump had sued for $10 billion over a July 2025 report on an alleged 2003 birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. The Miami judge dismissed the suit with prejudice. Trump failed to show actual malice, so the claim cannot be refiled.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Trump cannot refile the same defamation claim against the Journal and Murdoch after a with-prejudice dismissal.
- The July 2025 Journal story on the alleged Epstein birthday letter remains published.
- The ruling arrived days before the November 3 U.S. midterm elections.
What's Happening
- Judge Darrin Gayles ruled Trump failed twice to show the defendants acted with actual malice.
- An earlier version of the suit had been turned down in April before this final dismissal.
- The alleged letter was described as part of a 2003 album for Epstein's 50th birthday.
What the Suit Targeted
- Trump denied writing the letter and called the Journal story false and defamatory.
- The House Oversight Committee previously published a copy of the alleged note.
- Murdoch founded News Corp, which owns the Wall Street Journal.
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