A judge in Florida has dismissed a lawsuit initiated by Donald Trump last summer concerning a report from the Wall Street Journal. The report claimed that in 2003, Trump had sent an inappropriate letter to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. However, the judge has allowed Trump a two-week period to potentially refile the case.
Trump, known for his frequent legal actions against media outlets, contended that a suggestive illustration central to the article was fabricated. This case garnered particular attention due to the involvement of Rupert Murdoch, a prominent media figure and one of Trump’s allies, whose News Corporation owns the Journal.
In an attempt to block the publication of the article, titled “Jeffrey Epstein’s Friends Sent Him Bawdy Letters for a 50th Birthday Album. One Was From Donald Trump,” Trump personally contacted Murdoch before its release on July 17, 2025.
Although the Journal did not initially include the controversial image in its story, it was later made public by the House Oversight Committee in September after being obtained from Epstein’s estate.
Attorneys for the Journal requested the dismissal of the lawsuit, asserting that the report was truthful and that it did not satisfy the criteria for defamation, as the authors did not publish it with knowledge of its falsity or with reckless disregard for the truth.
In his ruling on Monday, Judge Darrin P. Gayles concurred that the lawsuit “fails to adequately allege actual malice,” which is a necessary threshold for defamation claims made by public figures.
The judge pointed out that there was substantial evidence indicating that the Journal made efforts to verify the authenticity of the drawing, and Trump’s assertion that it was fake did not imply that the Journal acted with “serious doubts” regarding the accuracy of the article.
“Since President Trump has not convincingly demonstrated that the defendants published the article with actual malice, both counts must be dismissed,” Gayles wrote.
Trump’s legal team has the opportunity to refile the lawsuit until April 27, provided they can present additional evidence suggesting that the Journal published the claim while knowing it was untrue or likely untrue. The judge also mentioned that Trump’s team failed to provide evidence or allegations of special damages.
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team stated, “President Trump will adhere to Judge Gayles’s ruling and guidance to refile this significant lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and the other defendants. The president will continue to hold accountable those who disseminate false information to mislead the American public.”
On his Truth Social platform, Trump echoed this sentiment, emphasizing his legal team’s intention to refile the lawsuit. He stated, “Our powerful case against The Wall Street Journal, and other defendants, was requested to be re-filed by the Judge. This is not a dismissal; it is a suggestion to refile, and we will comply with the Order to submit an updated lawsuit by April 27th.”
A representative for Dow Jones, the division of News Corp responsible for the Journal, expressed satisfaction with the judge’s decision to dismiss the complaint, affirming their commitment to the reliability and accuracy of The Wall Street Journal’s reporting.
Additionally, Trump is currently pursuing a separate lawsuit against the BBC regarding edits made to a documentary, while his administration has faced lawsuits from various media outlets over First Amendment concerns.
