Trump's Epstein letter lawsuit against WSJ dismissed with prejudice

A US judge has dismissed Donald Trump’s lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal with prejudice, effectively ending his legal battle over the newspaper’s reporting on an alleged birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. The ruling, issued by Judge Darrin P Gayles on Saturday, means the President may not amend or refile the complaint, according to the Guardian ^[1].

The dispute centred on a July 2025 article alleging Trump sent a “bawdy” note to the disgraced financier for his 50th birthday. Trump denied the letter’s authenticity, claiming it was fabricated, but the court found his amended complaint failed to establish “actual malice,” the high legal bar required for public figures in defamation cases, the Guardian reported ^[1].

Sky News confirmed the dismissal, noting the judge determined the newspaper met appropriate reporting standards ^[2]. The court highlighted that the Journal sought Trump’s response before publication and included his direct denials, demonstrating the reporters did not knowingly publish false information or act with reckless disregard for the truth.

This decision follows an earlier dismissal in April that allowed Trump to revise his complaint. With this second attempt rejected, the case is closed. Judge Gayles stated that because this was Trump’s second attempt to allege his claims, dismissal with prejudice was appropriate, according to the Guardian ^[1].

The lawsuit drew significant attention as it named Rupert Murdoch, one of Trump’s media allies, among the defendants. Murdoch’s News Corporation owns the Journal. Trump had personally contacted Murdoch before the article’s publication in an effort to halt its release.

A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team insisted the President would “continue to press forward” in his lawsuit against the Journal and other defendants, maintaining that the drawing described was fake. However, the court’s final ruling leaves no room for further amendment. A Dow Jones spokesperson expressed pleasure with the court’s decision, stating the story was accurate and met defamation standards, the Guardian noted ^[1].

The alleged letter was part of a birthday album compiled by Epstein’s friends. While the Journal did not initially publish the image, it was later released by the House oversight committee in September after being provided by Epstein’s estate. The legal saga, marked by Trump’s frequent challenges to media outlets, concludes with this definitive judicial rejection.