Overview

• The lawsuit filed in Miami federal court targets The Wall Street Journal, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch and two reporters for defamation over a 2003 letter allegedly sent by Trump to Jeffrey Epstein.
• Trump insists the risqué birthday note—featuring a hand-drawn naked woman and a signature mimicking pubic hair—is fake and is seeking at least US$10 billion in damages for reputational harm.
• Attorney General Pam Bondi has formally asked a court to unseal all pertinent grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation, and the Justice Department has submitted the motion in Manhattan federal court.
• A joint DOJ-FBI memo released July 6–7 confirmed Epstein died by suicide and found no evidence of a client list, driving continued calls among Trump’s base for further disclosures.
• The escalating legal battle highlights tensions within Trump’s supporters and probes the reach of presidential influence into sealed judicial proceedings.