Overview

• President Trump filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, News Corp and Rupert Murdoch for reporting that he sent a lewd 2003 birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Defendants have pledged a vigorous defense in federal court and are invoking Florida’s anti-SLAPP statute to seek early dismissal of the case.
• Fox News has largely downplayed coverage of The Wall Street Journal’s Epstein report, highlighting an editorial split within Murdoch’s media holdings.
• Legal experts warn that the discovery phase may expose additional documents and witness testimony related to Trump’s relationship with Epstein.
• Observers note that Rupert Murdoch is weighing support for Vice President JD Vance as a potential post-Trump conservative standard-bearer.