Former President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, its parent firms News Corp and Dow Jones, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, and two reporters Joe Palazzolo and Khadeeja Safdar in a federal court in Miami.
What Triggered the Lawsuit?
According to a Wall Street Journal piece earlier this week, Trump allegedly submitted a risqué letter, along with a nude sketch, to Jeffrey Epstein’s 2003 50th birthday collage, which was arranged by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell. This is the basis for the complaint. A woman’s silhouette surrounded the letter, which was signed “Donald” and concluded with the words, “Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret, according to the Journal’s research.
Trump quickly denied the allegations, claiming on Truth Social that he “never wrote a picture in my life” and labeling the report “malicious” and “fake.” He continued, accusing the WSJ and its staff of defamation and alleging the story was a purposeful attempt to damage his reputation. He filed what he called a “POWERHOUSE” lawsuit.
Who Is Named in the Suit?
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The Wall Street Journal and its reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo,
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Dow Jones and parent company News Corp,
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Rupert Murdoch and WSJ CEO Robert Thomson.
Trump stated that the defendants “knowingly and recklessly” published false statements, causing “overwhelming financial and reputational harm”. He totaled the sought damages at a staggering $10 billion—well above typical defamation settlements in U.S. history.
WSJ Stands Firm
The Wall Street Journal responded strongly. A representative for Dow Jones stated that they had complete faith in the “rigor and accuracy” of the coverage and pledged to vigorously argue for it. The head of the WSJ’s Washington bureau highlighted the article’s comprehensive sourcing and verification procedure.
