Donald Trump files $10 bn lawsuit against Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch

The lawsuit has been lodged in the Southern District of Florida’s federal court

by e4m Staff
Published: Jul 19, 2025 1:48 PM | 2 min read

US President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion (approx. INR 85,000 crore) defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, its parent companies, and senior executives including Rupert Murdoch and News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, according to multiple media reports.

The lawsuit, lodged in the Southern District of Florida’s federal court, centres on a WSJ article that linked Trump to a controversial birthday greeting allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The report claimed the note featured a nude sketch, Trump’s initials in a suggestive spot, and a mention of a shared “secret”.

Although the full complaint has not yet been made public, the legal filing reportedly targets Dow Jones, News Corp, two WSJ journalists, and the publication itself.

Trump confirmed the legal action on his Truth Social site, writing: “We have just filed a powerhouse Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, fake news 'article' in the useless 'rag' that is, The Wall Street Journal.”

He further added: “This historic legal action is being brought against the so-called authors of this defamation, the now fully disgraced WSJ, as well as its corporate owners and affiliates, with Rupert Murdoch and Robert Thomson (whatever his role is!) at the top of the list.”

Trump was seen with Epstein at various social events in the 1990s and early 2000s, even calling him a “terrific guy” at one point. However, he later claimed they had a falling out and stopped associating before Epstein’s legal troubles began in 2006.