US President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, marking a major escalation in his legal confrontations with media outlets. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami on July 18, comes in response to a Journal article that detailed a sexually suggestive birthday letter allegedly authored by Trump and included in a compilation for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday.

The lawsuit accuses the newspaper of “knowingly and recklessly” publishing “false, defamatory, and disparaging statements,” and claims the report caused “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” to the president.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the letter appeared in a leather-bound album assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein. It allegedly featured a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman with Trump’s signature stylized beneath the illustration. The message allegedly read, “Happy Birthday, and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

Trump, who had threatened legal action even before the article's publication, categorically denied writing the letter, saying, “It’s a fake thing… I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women. It’s not my language. It’s not my words.”

The story has triggered strong reactions from Trump’s political base, with many expressing frustration over the administration’s initial reluctance to release Epstein-related documents, as many from his base view the handling of the Epstein case as a betrayal of campaign promises regarding transparency.

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While Trump has at times dismissed Epstein-related concerns as a “hoax” pushed by Democrats, he has also urged the release of additional case materials, including grand jury transcripts.

Justice Department reverses on Epstein case transcripts

Responding to public pressure, the Justice Department announced it would seek court approval to release grand jury transcripts related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The move, led by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, marks a reversal from a previous decision on July 7 to withhold such materials following an “exhaustive review.”

Blanche noted that any disclosed records would be redacted to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses. The department’s back-and-forth has drawn criticism from both Republican allies and Democratic lawmakers.

A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal defended the reporting, stating, “We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”

Trump’s case will likely face strong First Amendment protections, which historically make defamation suits against major news outlets difficult to win. However, Trump has recently secured multimillion-dollar settlements from other media organizations, including ABC News/Disney and CBS News/Paramount, suggesting a strategy of legal and financial pressure over public narratives.

Trump’s association with Epstein dates back to the 1990s, when both figures were known to socialize within the same elite circles in Florida and New York. In a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump stated: “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy… It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

Their relationship reportedly soured in 2004 over a property dispute in Palm Beach.