A federal judge has thrown out U.S. President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. The lawsuit stemmed from the publication of a birthday card allegedly signed by Trump for Jeffrey Epstein. This ruling is seen as a setback for Trump in his legal battles against media organizations he believes have treated him unfairly.
Trump has initiated several lawsuits against major media outlets during his presidency, claiming that their reporting has been biased or inaccurate. Critics, including Democrats and advocates for press freedom, have expressed concern that Trump is using defamation cases to silence critical coverage.
In the dismissed lawsuit, Trump accused the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper of damaging his reputation by publishing an article about a birthday card to the deceased sex offender Epstein bearing his signature. Despite lawmakers releasing the card as part of their investigation into Epstein’s case, Trump and his legal team maintained that the card is not authentic.
The lawsuit was filed in July 2025, amid criticism faced by the Trump administration regarding its handling of the Epstein case. Miami-based U.S. District Court Judge Darrin P. Gayles, appointed by former President Barack Obama, stated that Trump did not meet the legal standard of proving “actual malice” in defamation cases against public figures.
Gayles explained that to prove “actual malice,” it must be shown that the media outlet or individual making the statement knew or should have known it was false. The judge asserted that Trump’s complaint fell short of meeting this threshold, emphasizing that the newspaper had reached out to Trump for comment and printed his denial in the article.
Despite the dismissal, Trump vowed to refile the lawsuit by April 27. Dow Jones, the Wall Street Journal’s parent company, expressed satisfaction with the judge’s decision and affirmed the accuracy of the newspaper’s reporting. The ruling did not determine the truthfulness of the article in question.
The Epstein case has given rise to conspiracy theories about government cover-ups and mysterious circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death. Trump, who had a past association with Epstein, distanced himself from the convicted sex offender after Epstein’s legal troubles in 2008. Trump has consistently denied any knowledge of Epstein’s illegal activities.
In response to the lawsuit’s dismissal, the Wall Street Journal argued that the legal action was baseless and could have a chilling effect on free speech. Trump’s litigation history includes lawsuits against various media outlets, such as the BBC and the New York Times, over perceived defamation. While some cases have been dismissed, others are still ongoing or have resulted in settlements.