Court Dismisses Trump's Defamation Claim Against Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Letter

2026-04-13 companies

New York, Monday, 13 April 2026.
A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation suit against the Wall Street Journal, concluding he failed to prove malicious intent regarding a 2003 letter to Jeffrey Epstein.

Anatomy of the Disputed Epstein Letter

The controversy stems from a Wall Street Journal article published on July 17 [1][alert! ‘Sources provide conflicting publication years of 2024 and 2025 for the initial article’], which detailed a sexually suggestive message allegedly included in a “birthday book” for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 [1][2]. The message, purportedly written at the behest of Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s 50th birthday, was framed within the drawn outline of a woman’s body [2][4][6]. According to the reporting, the typewritten text read: “We have certain things in common, Jeffrey,” and “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret” [6].

Next Steps in the Legal Battle

Because the case was dismissed without prejudice, the legal avenue remains open for the former president [1]. Judge Gayles granted Trump’s legal team a window to amend and refile their complaint, setting a deadline of April 27, 2026, which is exactly 14 days from today [1][GPT]. A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team confirmed their intention to pursue the matter further, stating they will “follow Judge Gayles’s ruling and guidance to refile this powerhouse lawsuit” against all named defendants [2].

Sources

Defamation News Corp