WSJ Seeks Dismissal, Fees in Trump's $10B Suit

The Wall Street Journal, its parent companies Dow Jones and News Corp., and Rupert Murdoch asked a federal judge to dismiss President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit over a July article reporting that his name appeared on a 2003 birthday greeting for Jeffrey Epstein. The WSJ said the article is accurate based on a “Birthday Book” produced by Epstein’s estate and later released by the House Oversight Committee, and asked the court to dismiss the case with prejudice and award fees and costs. The Journal described the note as a bawdy, typewritten message framed by a sketch of a naked woman with a squiggly “Donald” signature, and argued that even if Trump wrote it the note could not legally damage his reputation given his prior admissions and public conduct. Trump sued the day after the story, calling the greeting fake and seeking at least $10 billion in damages; some of his filings seek $10 billion per count, totaling roughly $20 billion. The motion and ensuing filings have reignited debate over press freedom and the use of high-dollar defamation suits by public figures, who must meet the “actual malice” standard to prevail.