Overview
- Trump’s Oct. 20 court filing asks a Florida federal judge to deny the Wall Street Journal’s motion to dismiss, alleging the July story was a deliberate and malicious smear.
- His lawyers say the paper failed to authenticate the 2003 birthday-book page and contend the Journal did not possess or review the purported letter before publishing.
- The filing argues that a similar page released later by the House Oversight Committee does not prove authorship or that it matches what the Journal relied on, citing chain-of-custody gaps.
- The Journal, News Corp. and Rupert Murdoch seek dismissal as a matter of substantial truth and First Amendment protection, noting Trump’s public-figure status and the high actual-malice bar.
- Trump requested oral argument; the defendants have not yet filed a reply, no hearing is set, and a ruling by Judge Darrin P. Gayles will determine whether the case moves to discovery.