Trump vs WSJ explodes: US President sues Murdoch, Wall Street Journal over Epstein letter story; seeks grand jury unsealing
US President Donald Trump has filed a libel and slander lawsuit against Dow Jones, News Corp, two Wall Street Journal reporters, and the paper's owner Rupert Murdoch.
The legal action comes just a day after Trump threatened to sue the Journal over a report alleging he had sent a sexually suggestive birthday letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The lawsuit was filed in the federal court for the Southern District of Florida, based in Miami. A full copy of the complaint has not yet been made public.
The Wall Street Journal had reported that, in 2003, then-real estate mogul Donald Trump allegedly sent Jeffrey Epstein a suggestive birthday letter -- complete with a nude illustration and a reference to their shared 'secret.'
Now, in a parallel effort to calm anger among his supporters over Epstein-related conspiracy theories, Trump has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the unsealing of grand jury testimony from the prosecution against Epstein.
Bondi, in a filing submitted in New York, cited the 'extensive public interest' in the case to justify the unusual legal step of requesting access to what is typically sealed testimony.
Epstein, a longtime acquaintance of Trump and other powerful men, was found dead in a New York prison cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls in New York and Florida. His death, officially ruled a suicide, ignited a wave of conspiracy theories, particularly among Trump's far-right base, who believe in the existence of a global ring of elite pedophiles.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Since returning to power for a second term in January, Trump has faced growing demands from his supporters to reveal what they believe is Epstein's secret list of clients. However, Bondi appeared to close the door on that speculation with an official memo in July declaring that no such list exists.
This discontent within the 'Make America Great Again' movement marks a rare moment of tension between Trump and his core voter base -- one that challenges his usual grip on the political narrative.
It remains unclear whether the courts will approve the release of the grand jury material — or if, even if unsealed, it would address the central claims driving the conspiracy theories about Epstein's connections and alleged client list.
Pressed by reporters on Friday about whether he would push for broader disclosure of Epstein-related documents, Trump offered no response.
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