Donald Trump has launched a libel lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal’s publisher and two of its reporters. The suit follows a story about letters given to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003, including one with Trump’s name and a sketch of a naked woman. Court records in South Florida show Trump is suing for libel, assault, and slander, but the actual lawsuit document was not included in the file. Trump has firmly denied writing the letter mentioned in the article.
US President Donald Trump posts, “We have just filed a POWERHOUSE lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, fake news “article” in the useless “rag” that is, The Wall Street Journal. This historic legal action is being brought against the… pic.twitter.com/wA97XptdG4
— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2025
Wall Street Journal Reporters Named in Lawsuit
Trump threatened legal action almost right after the Wall Street Journal published the story late Thursday. The reporters, Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, are named as defendants in the court docket.
Trump said on Truth Social, “The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued.” He also claimed that Murdoch promised to handle the situation but “obviously, did not have the power to do so.”
Wall Street Journal and Epstein Connection Draws Attention
CNN has reached out to the Wall Street Journal for comment on the lawsuit. Trump’s connection to Jeffrey Epstein, who died in a New York City jail in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges, has faced more public scrutiny lately.
Trump has said during his 2024 campaign that he might release more files related to Epstein, aiming to meet the demands of some right-wing figures who call for more government transparency and question the official ruling of Epstein’s death as a suicide.
Justice Department Memo and Political Fallout
Earlier this month, the Justice Department released a memo saying there is no proof that Epstein had a “client list” naming powerful men in connection with alleged sex crimes. Epstein had known many high-profile people in politics and business. This new information has let down some of Trump’s loyal supporters and has caused tension within his political base, even sparking concerns about a possible split among his MAGA followers.
Must Read: Jeffrey Epstein Maintained A Log Book, Who Were The Big Names In Epstein Log Book ?
Swastika Sruti is a Senior Sub Editor at NewsX Digital with 5 years of experience shaping stories that matter. She loves tracking politics- national and global trends, and never misses a chance to dig deeper into policies and developments. Passionate about what’s happening around us, she brings sharp insight and clarity to every piece she works on. When not curating news, she’s busy exploring what’s next in the world of public interest. You can reach her at [swastika.newsx@gmail.com]
