Rupert Murdoch Agrees to Provide Trump Health Updates to Delay Deposition

President Donald Trump announced a "highly productive meeting" between his special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling potential diplomatic progress toward ending the Ukraine war. Following the meeting, Trump updated European allies and emphasized a shared agreement that the conflict must end soon. Separately, Trump is pursuing a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal over a 2025 article alleging Trump sent a "bawdy" birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein, which Trump denies. Due to Murdoch's advanced age and health issues, the parties agreed to a court-approved deal requiring Murdoch to provide regular sworn health updates to Trump’s legal team, postponing Murdoch's deposition until motions to dismiss the case are resolved. If the case proceeds, Murdoch must testify within 30 days of a denial of dismissal, but failure to comply with health update terms could force an expedited deposition. This unusual legal arrangement underscores both Trump's determination in the lawsuit and concerns over Murdoch's health potentially affecting the trial timeline.