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4h ago

Wall Street Journal Seeks Dismissal of Trump Defamation Suit Over Epstein Birthday-Book Story

The newspaper’s filing says congressional records from Epstein’s estate match its reporting, which it argues defeats Trump’s claim.

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A birthday letter that U.S. President Donald Trump allegedly wrote to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein more than 20 years ago is seen as presented by the Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on their X account September 8, 2025. The letter, the existence of which was reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, appears to have been signed by Trump, but he has denied doing so and has said the card does not exist, and the White House has denied its authenticity. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee/Handout via REUTERS
U.S. President Donald Trump answers a question from a reporter onboard Air Force One after attending the memorial service for slain conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, enroute to Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland, U.S. September 21, 2025. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo

Overview

  • Filed Monday in federal court in Miami, the motion asks Judge Darrin P. Gayles to toss the $10 billion case with prejudice and award attorneys’ fees.
  • The Journal argues the article is true, pointing to the House Oversight Committee’s public release of the Birthday Book containing a letter identical to the one it described.
  • It contends the piece is nondefamatory as a matter of law and says Trump has not plausibly alleged actual malice required for a public-figure libel claim.
  • The filing cites anti-SLAPP protections in New York and Florida and warns the lawsuit risks chilling protected newsgathering and reporting.
  • Trump maintains the letter is fake and the signature is not his, while the White House has said the released signature is not Trump’s; a judge last week dismissed his separate New York Times suit on pleading grounds.