Overview

• President Trump filed defamation lawsuits against The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp and Rupert Murdoch over what he alleges was a fabricated letter to Jeffrey Epstein.
• He contested the authenticity of a “bawdy” birthday card story, warning the outlets they faced legal consequences for printing it.
• On Truth Social, Trump accused the Journal of being “China centric” and suggested its editorial board undermines his tariff policy.
• The lawsuit marks an escalation in his ongoing legal battles with media organizations over alleged false reporting.
• The move coincides with continued fallout from his aggressive tariff strategy, which has drawn criticism from economists and trading partners.