Trump sues Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over reporting on Epstein ties
The suit, filed in filed in federal court in Miami, accuses the paper and its reporters of having "knowingly and recklessly" published "numerous false, defamatory, and disparaging statements," which, it alleges, caused "overwhelming financial and reputational harm" to the president. In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump cast the lawsuit as part of his efforts to punish news outlets, including ABC and CBS, which both reached multimillion-dollar settlement deals with the president after he took them to court. "This lawsuit is filed not only on behalf of your favorite President, ME, but also in order to continue standing up for ALL Americans who will no longer tolerate the abusive wrongdoings of the Fake News Media," he wrote. A representative of Dow Jones, the Journal's publisher, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
The letter revealed by The Wall Street Journal was reportedly collected by disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell as part of a birthday album for Epstein years before the wealthy financier was first arrested in 2006 and subsequently had a falling-out with Trump. The letter bearing Trump's name includes text framed by the outline of what appears to be a hand-drawn naked woman and ends with, "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret," according to the newspaper. Trump denied writing the letter and promised to sue. He said he spoke to both to the paper's owner, Rupert Murdoch, and its top editor, Emma Tucker, before the story was published and told them the letter was "fake." "These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures," the president insisted. The outlet described the contents of the letter but did not publish a photo showing it entirely or provide details on how it came to learn about it. In the lawsuit, Trump takes issue with that fact. The defendants, it attests, "failed to attach the letter, failed to attach the alleged drawing, failed to show proof that President Trump authored or signed any such letter, and failed to explain how this purported letter was obtained." "The reason for those failures is because no authentic letter or drawing exists," it goes on to charge, alleging that the "Defendants concocted this story to malign President Trump's character and integrity and deceptively portray him in a false light." Earlier Friday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche filed motions in a separate federal court urging them to unseal the Epstein transcripts as well as those in the case against Maxwell, who was convicted of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein. Epstein killed himself in 2019 shortly after his arrest while awaiting trial.
The Justice Department's announcement that it would not be making public any more Epstein files enraged parts of Trump's base in part because members of his own administration had hyped the expected release and stoked conspiracies around the well-connected financier. The Justice Department said in the court filings that it will work with with prosecutors in New York to make appropriate redactions of victim-related information and other personally identifying information before transcripts are released. "Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation under the law to protect victims," Blanche wrote. But despite the new push to release the grand jury transcripts, the administration has not announced plans to reverse course and release other evidence in its possession. Attorney General Pam Bondi had hyped the release of more materials after the first Epstein files disclosure in February sparked outrage because it contained no new revelations. A judge would have to approve the release of the grand jury transcripts, and it's likely to be a lengthy process to decide what can become public and to make redactions to protect sensitive witness and victim information. The records would show testimony of witnesses and other evidence that was presented by prosecutions during the secret grand jury proceedings, when a panel decides whether there is enough evidence to bring an indictment, or a formal criminal charge.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
18 minutes ago
- Time of India
Countries will face tariffs ranging from 15% to 50%: Donald Trump
Trump's comment declaring that the tariffs would begin at 15% represented the latest twist in his effort to impose duties on nearly every US trading partner, and the latest indication that Trump was looking to more aggressively impose the levies on exports from countries outside the small group that so far has been able to broker trade frameworks with Washington. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump suggested that he would not go below 15% as he sets so-called reciprocal tariff rates ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline, an indication that the floor for the increased levies was rising."We'll have a straight, simple tariff of anywhere between 15% and 50%," Trump said Wednesday at an AI summit in Washington. "A couple of - we have 50 because we haven't been getting along with those countries too well."Trump's comment declaring that the tariffs would begin at 15% represented the latest twist in his effort to impose duties on nearly every US trading partner, and the latest indication that Trump was looking to more aggressively impose the levies on exports from countries outside the small group that so far has been able to broker trade frameworks with earlier this month said that more than 150 countries would receive a letter including a tariff rate of "probably 10 or 15%, we haven't decided yet." Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told CBS News on Sunday that small countries including "the Latin American countries, the Caribbean countries, many countries in Africa" would have a baseline tariff of 10%. And at the first announcement of the tariffs in April, Trump unveiled a universal tariff of 10% on nearly every Trump and his advisers initially expressed hopes of securing multiple deals, the president has been touting the tariff letters themselves as "deals" and suggesting that he is uninterested in back-and-forth negotiations. Still, he has left the door open for countries to make agreements that could lower those rates.
Mint
18 minutes ago
- Mint
India opens up autos, services, liquor to UK; gains access in goods
Cosmetics, chocolates, medical devices and aerospace goods from the UK are set to become sharply cheaper in India after the two countries signed a landmark trade deal on Thursday, while Indian seafood, textiles, leather footwear, and gems and jewellery get to enter the UK duty-free. Lovers of Scotch whiskey and imported cars have reason to cheer too, though the duty benefits will unroll over the years—and in the case of automobiles, there will be stiff quotas on how many vehicles can be imported at lower duty, after which regular tariffs kick in. The agreement kept out the UK's contentious carbon border tax, as well as post-study work visas for Indian students in the UK. On professionals moving between the two countries too, the liberalization was modest. The agreement marks a significant reset in bilateral economic relations, and unveils an ambitious joint roadmap for cooperation through 2035. Expansive deal The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) is among the most wide-ranging deals ever concluded by India, and the most expansive trade pact signed by the UK in the Indo-Pacific after it left the European Union. The deal takes effect once both parliaments ratify it, which may take six months or more. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the deal as a win for their nations. Nearly 45% of India's exports to the UK will now enter duty-free, offering a significant boost to India's labour-intensive sectors. Tariffs on Indian processed food falls from 70% to zero, making them sharply cheaper in the UK. The UK will immediately drop tariffs on most Indian goods, including engineering products, chemicals, base metals, and marine items, where Indian exports will now enjoy zero duty instead of existing rates of 8% to 20%. The deal grants India preferential access to the UK's $37.5 billion agri-market, even as New Delhi safeguarded sensitive sectors such as dairy, fresh apples, and vegetable seeds from tariff concessions. Cheaper British goods Tariffs on the UK's soaps, perfumes, shaving creams, and nail polish, as well as chocolates and medical devices, will drop from an average of 20% to around nil. Indian fishermen and marine exporters are major gainers, given that the UK's duties on these items, currently as high as 20%, drops to zero, opening up a $5.4 billion opportunity. India has kept items such as gold bars, smartphones, blue-veined cheese, walnuts, and specific agricultural items out of the ambit of tariff concessions. The UK, too, has shielded its dairy, semi-milled rice, solid cane sugar and several processed meat items. Automobiles, liquor The FTA allows the UK to ship to India up to 20,000 completely built units (CBUs) in the first year at 30%—against the current rate of 110%—depending on engine capacity. (From the 20,001st vehicle, 95% duty will apply in first year and it will gradually reduce to 50% in 10th year and onwards). The quota will expand to 37,000 CBUs by year five and then taper to 15,000 by year 15. Electric, hybrid and hydrogen vehicles get no concessions in the first five years. After that, India will allow up to 4,400 premium EVs in sixth year at 50%, with tariffs reduced to 10% by year 10 —limited only to vehicles priced above £40,000 CIF. The cap of 22,000 total vehicles over 15 years remains unchanged. The liberalization model is quota-based and designed to benefit luxury vehicles while protecting India's mass-market auto segment. 'This sends a positive signal to UK exporters but does not compromise India's EV localization or Make-in-India push," said an Indian automotive executive. 'This is for the first time that India has included automobiles and alcoholic beverages under a tariff liberalization framework in an FTA, which marks a significant shift," a senior official involved in the negotiations told Mint. For alcoholic beverages, including Scotch whisky, brandy, and rum, the 150% duty will be halved over 10 years for products meeting a Minimum Import Price (MIP) threshold of $5 per litre or $6 per 750 ml bottle. This is expected to help premium brands gain better access without affecting the domestic market for low-cost spirits. 'It's more of a market access gesture than a consumption game-changer," said Vinod Giri, a liquor industry expert. Social security pact The Double Contribution Convention (DCC) agreed by the two countries ensures that employees temporarily working in the other country pay social security contributions only in their home country, avoiding dual contributions for up to three years. Among the non-tariff elements, the FTA includes legally binding commitments on services, investment, government procurement, and intellectual property. UK-based financial and professional services will gain guaranteed market access and equal treatment under India's investment rules. Indian workers in the UK will be exempt from social security contributions for three years, a move expected to benefit around 75,000 individuals. On mobility, India will be allowed to send up to 1,800 professionals annually—including chefs, yoga instructors, and classical musicians—to work temporarily in the UK. The pact also sets up institutional mechanisms for cooperation in customs procedures, rules of origin, and digital trade. The FTA is expected to deliver fresh investments worth nearly £6 billion from the UK into India. British companies, including Rolls-Royce and Airbus, announced new aviation contracts and joint manufacturing deals at the signing ceremony. 'India is an important market for our business," said Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic. 'We welcome the provisions in this FTA that bring us closer to international standards and future aerospace growth." Vision 2035 Both leaders also unveiled the UK-India Vision 2035, a broad strategic roadmap that outlines cooperation in defence manufacturing, border security, climate action, and education. A Defence Industrial Roadmap has been launched to steer joint development and procurement. The two sides also pledged deeper coordination on technology, intelligence sharing, and tackling organized crime. India has opened several critical segments of its services economy to British firms, offering unprecedented access in sectors such as accounting, auditing, financial services (with the FDI cap in insurance retained at 74%), telecom (allowing 100% FDI), environmental services, and auxiliary air transport. UK firms will now be able to offer telecom, construction, and related services in India without needing to set up a local entity, and will enjoy national treatment—ensuring they are treated on par with domestic firms, as per the FTA document. Professional qualifications India has also agreed to recognize UK professional qualifications in select areas such as law and accounting, although legal services as a sector remain closed. The pact guarantees no numerical caps on UK service providers and grants commercial presence rights across several domains. India has maintained regulatory carve-outs in sensitive areas such as legal practice, taxation, and national security, and full mutual recognition of professional qualifications remains limited. In contrast, the UK's offer on services is more cautious, with limited liberalization beyond select areas such as computer services, consultancy, and environmental services. 'The UK has allowed an annual quota of 1,800 temporary visas for roles like yoga instructors and classical musicians, but has not made binding commitments on broader mobility categories such as business visitors or IT professionals," said Ajay Srivastava, founder of Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), a think tank. 'The UK's decision not to restore post-study work visas also remains a point of contention for Indian students, as the agreement does not override the UK's existing points-based immigration system," he said. With tariff elimination of up to 18% under the CETA, India's engineering exports to the UK are projected to nearly double over the next five years, crossing $7.5 billion by 2029–30, a commerce ministry statement said. 'As India has not secured a carve-out or exemption clause on CBAM, we've lost a vital opportunity to protect our carbon-intensive exports," said GTRI's Srivastava. 'From January 2027, the UK can impose carbon taxes on Indian steel and aluminium, even as we grant UK goods duty-free access. That's a serious asymmetry. We should expect similar treatment under the India-EU FTA as well."
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Fourth-rate show': White House reacts to South Park showing 'Trump naked in bed with devil'
White House called South Park fourth-rate show following Trump's insulting portrayal. The White House's first reaction to Wednesday night's South Park premiere attacking President Donald Trump is here. Trump's White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Rolling Stone: "The Left's hypocrisy truly has no end — for years they have come after South Park for what they labeled as 'offense' [sic] content, but suddenly they are praising the show. "Just like the creators of South Park, the Left has no authentic or original content, which is why their popularity continues to hit record lows. This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention. President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history — and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak. " Trump is shown lying in bed with Satan arguing wth Canadian PM After a gap of almost two and a half years, South Park kicked off its 27th season after creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone reached a $1.5 billion streaming deal with Paramount. Paramount is the parent company of Comedy Central, where South Park airs, and CBS—which has received widespread criticism over its decision to cancel The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. During the premiere episode, titled "Sermon on the 'Mount," Trump is shown lying in bed with Satan, arguing with the Canadian prime minister and complaining about the size of his penis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Trump insinuates that he wants to have sex with Satan, but the devil turns him down. "Come on, Satan. I've been working hard all day," Trump says, to which Satan replies: "You haven't been working! You've been doing your stupid memes and just f****** around." The episode also mentioned the "Epstein list" as Satan tells Trump: "Another random b**** commented on my Instagram that you're on the Epstein list." "The Epstein list?" Trump asks. "Are we still talking about that?"
