US President Donald Trump has on Thursday threatened to sue media mogul Rupert Murdoch, his company NewsCorp, and The Wall Street Journal over a report in the newspaper that linked the President to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticized the Journal’s recent story on him and called it “fake news.”
He said he plans to file a lawsuit against the Murdoch-owned media entities “shortly.”
🚨 JUST IN: President Trump is absolutely EVISCERATING Rupert Murdoch and WSJ after their hit piece on him
“I’m doing to sue his ASS off, AND his third rate newspaper!” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/NxntKymGkA
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 18, 2025
The Wall Street Journal And Report and Donald Trump’s Response
The Wall Street Journal report published on Thursday detailed an alleged leather-bound album compiled by investigators ahead of Epstein’s first arrest in 2006. Among the materials, the album reportedly contained a letter given to Epstein on his 50th birthday in 2003. The letter was allegedly signed by several of Epstein’s friends, including Trump.
According to the Journal, the message features a typewritten text of an imaginary conversation between Trump and Epstein. The conversation was placed inside the drawing of a naked woman, done with a marker. Trump’s alleged signature appears in the place of the figure’s pubic hair.
In an interview with the Journal, Trump denied authoring the letter or the drawing.
“I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women,” Trump said. “It’s not my language. It’s not my word.”
Donald Trump Says He Personally Warned Rupert Murdoch and WSJ Editor
Trump said he personally told Rupert Murdoch that the letter was fake, and warned both Murdoch and the Journal not to publish the story.
“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,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He also claimed that Murdoch promised to handle the situation but failed to stop the publication.
“Mr. Murdoch stated that he would take care of it but, obviously, did not have the power to do so,” Trump said.
According to Trump, his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt and he both informed Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker that the letter was fake.
“Emma Tucker didn’t want to hear that. Instead, they are going with a false, malicious, and defamatory story anyway,” Trump alleged.
A Complicated Relationship Between Doanld Trump and Rupert Murdoch
Trump’s threat to sue comes amid a complicated and long-standing relationship with Rupert Murdoch.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has reportedly been troubled by editorials in the Wall Street Journal, though those are separate from the newsroom.
Over the years, Trump has alternated between praising and criticizing Murdoch. The Murdoch media empire played a significant role in Trump’s rise to the presidency. Initially, Murdoch enjoyed a close relationship with Trump during his first term, but by 2020, their relationship had cooled.
After the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack, Murdoch’s media outlets began to distance themselves from Trump. According to emails revealed in court cases over Fox News’ coverage of the 2020 election, Murdoch allegedly told a colleague, “We want to make Trump a non-person.”
Despite this, as Trump regained support from Republican voters, Murdoch’s media entities re-engaged with him, prompting critics to accuse Murdoch of prioritizing his family’s financial interests.
A History of Back-and-Forth Between Doanld Trump and Rupert Murdoch
Despite their history of disagreements, Trump and Murdoch have shared public moments of mutual praise.
“Rupert Murdoch is in a class by himself, he’s an amazing guy,” Trump said in February when Murdoch visited the Oval Office during a live media event.
Murdoch, now 93, serves as chairman emeritus of his media companies. His son Lachlan Murdoch handles daily operations. Lachlan was recently seen with Trump at the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium.
Also Read: Epstein Files: What Connects Jeffrey Epstein To Bill Clinton And Donald Trump?
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
