US President Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against media magnate Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal on Friday. The lawsuit targets the publication of a bombshell report detailing Trump’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the infamous alleged sex trafficker of underage girls.
Filed in federal court in Miami, the defamation lawsuit sees Trump attempting to counter a scandal that poses a significant political threat.
The 79-year-old Republican had previously vowed to “sue the ass off” Murdoch and his newspaper after it reported that in 2003, the then-real estate mogul penned a suggestive birthday letter to Epstein, which reportedly featured a drawing of a naked woman and alluded to their shared “secret.”
In a separate move aimed at quelling outrage among his supporters regarding an alleged government cover-up of Epstein’s activities and 2019 death, Trump directed his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to seek the unsealing of grand jury testimony from the prosecution against the disgraced financier. In a filing in New York, Bondi cited “extensive public interest” as the reason for this unusual request to release what is typically secret testimony.
Epstein, a long-time acquaintance of Trump and numerous other high-profile men, was discovered dead by hanging in a New York prison cell while awaiting trial on charges of sexually exploiting dozens of underage girls at his residences in New York and Florida. The case fueled conspiracy theories, particularly among Trump’s far-right voters, about an alleged international cabal of wealthy pedophiles. Epstein’s death – declared a suicide – before he could face trial significantly amplified this narrative.
When Trump returned to power for a second term this January, his supporters clamored for revelations about Epstein’s supposed list of clients. However, Bondi issued an official memo in July declaring that no such list existed. The discontent within Trump’s “Make America Great Again” base presents a rare challenge to the Republicans’ control over the political narrative in the United States.
It remains uncertain whether a court will authorize the unsealing of the grand jury testimony. Even if such material were to be made public, it is also unclear if it would provide substantial clarity on the main questions raised in the conspiracy theories – particularly the existence and potential contents of an Epstein client list. When questioned by reporters on Friday about pursuing a broader release of information related to the case, Trump declined to answer.
Naked Woman and Signature Trump was closely associated with Epstein for years, and the two were photographed and videotaped together at parties, though there has never been evidence of wrongdoing. The Wall Street Journal article, published late Thursday, was damaging because it suggested a shared interest in sex.
The Journal reported that in 2003, Trump wished Epstein a happy 50th birthday with a letter featuring a hand-drawn naked woman and referencing their “secrets.” The letter was reportedly part of a collection of well-wishes from other affluent and well-known figures compiled for a birthday album.
A furious Trump took to his Truth Social platform, calling the purported letter a “Scam” and “Fake.” Trump also claimed that the Journal’s chief editor, Emma Tucker, had been informed the letter was fake and advised not to publish it.
According to the Journal, the Trump letter included the outline of a naked woman, seemingly drawn with a marker, and featured the future president’s signature “Donald” mimicking pubic hair. The newspaper stated it concludes with “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump reacted with a series of furious social media posts, asserting, “It’s not my language. It’s not my words.” He added, “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women.” However, US media outlets have previously published multiple drawings attributed to Trump, with several dating back to the early 2000s when he leveraged his celebrity status to donate sketches for charity.
