Trump sues Wall Street Journal over Epstein report, seeks $10 billion
Trump filed the lawsuit in federal court in the Southern District of Florida against Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch and two Wall Street Journal reporters, accusing the defendants of defamation and saying they acted with malicious intent that caused him overwhelming financial and reputational harm.
Trump has vehemently denied the Journal report, which Reuters has not verified, and warned Murdoch, the founder of News Corp, that he planned to sue. Dow Jones, the parent of the newspaper, is a division of News Corp.
"I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his 'pile of garbage' newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Friday morning.
Representatives of Dow Jones, News Corp and Murdoch could not be reached for comment.
Disgraced financier and sex offender Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019.
The case has generatedconspiracy theories that became popular among Trump's base of supporters who believed the government was covering up Epstein's ties to the rich and powerful.
Some of Trump's most loyal followers became furious after his administration reversed course on its promise to release files related to the Epstein investigation. A Justice Department memo released on July 7concluded that Epstein killed himselfand said there was "no incriminating client list" or evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent people.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs."
With pressure to release the Epstein files building, Trump on Thursday said he directed Bondi to ask a court to release grand jury testimony about Epstein.
The U.S. government on Friday filed a motion in Manhattan federal court to unseal grand jury transcripts in the cases of Epstein and his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who in 2021 was convicted of five federal chargesrelated to her role in Epstein's sexual abuse of underage girls. She is serving a 20-year sentence.
"Public officials, lawmakers, pundits, and ordinary citizens remain deeply interested and concerned about the Epstein matter," Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the filing. "After all, Jeffrey Epstein is the most infamous pedophile in American history."
Blanche called the transcripts "critical pieces of an important moment in our nation's history," and said "the time for the public to guess what they contain should end."
He said prosecutors would work to redact all victim-identifying information before making anything public.
BAWDY LETTER
The Journal said the letter bearing Trump's name was part of a leather-bound birthday book for Epstein that included messages from other high-profile people. The newspapersaid the letter contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. The newspaper said the letter concludes "Happy Birthday- and may every day be another wonderful secret," and featured the signature "Donald."
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was allegedly produced - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal. Epstein died just over a monthafter he was arrested for a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
Trump, who was photographed with Epstein multiple times in social situations in the 1990s and early 2000s, told reporters in 2019 that he ended his relationship with Epstein before his legal troubles became apparent.
In 2002, Trump, a Florida neighbor of Epstein's, was quoted in New York magazine as saying, "I've known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office in 2019, Trump said he and Epstein had a "falling out" before the financier was first arrested.
Trump said he "knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him" but that, "I had a falling out with him. I haven't spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you."
WHAT THE TRANSCRIPTS COULD SHOW
The release of the grand jury documents may fall short of what many of Trump's supporters have sought, including case files held by the administration.
Grand juries review evidence from prosecutors to determine whether people should be indicted for crimes. This includes hearsay, improperly obtained information and other evidence that prosecutors would not be allowed to present at trial.
Transcripts of grand jury proceedings are generally kept secret under federal criminal procedure rules, with limited exceptions.
A judge may allow disclosure of grand jury matters in connection with judicial proceedings, or at the request of defendants who believe it could lead to the dismissal of their indictments.
It is likely that some material released from grand jury proceedings would be redacted, or blacked out, because of privacy or security concerns.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York, Nandita Bose, Trevor Hunnicutt and Jasper Ward in Washington, Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia, and Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Writing by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Diane Craft and Rosalba O'Brien)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
8 minutes ago
- The Star
US-China set to meet with extension of tariff pause on the cards
STOCKHOLM/WASHINGTON: Top economic officials from the United States and China are set to renew negotiations Monday (July 28) -- with an extension of lower tariff levels on the cards -- as President Donald Trump's trade policy enters a critical week. Talks between the world's top two economies are slated to happen over two days in the Swedish capital Stockholm, and they come as other countries are also rushing to finalise deals with Washington. For dozens of trading partners, failing to strike an agreement in the coming days means they could face significant tariff hikes on exports to the United States come Friday, Aug 1. The steeper rates, threatened against partners like Brazil and India, would raise the duties their products face from a "baseline" of 10 per cent now to levels up to 50 per cent. Tariffs imposed by the Trump administration have already effectively raised duties on US imports to levels not seen since the 1930s, according to data from The Budget Lab research centre at Yale University. For now, all eyes are on discussions between Washington and Beijing as a delegation including US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meets a Chinese team led by Vice Premier He Lifeng in Sweden. While both countries in April imposed tariffs on each other's products that reached triple-digit levels, US duties this year have temporarily been lowered to 30 per cent and China's countermeasures slashed to 10 per cent. But the 90-day truce, instituted after talks in Geneva in May, is set to expire on Aug 12. Since the Geneva meeting, the two sides have convened in London to iron out disagreements. "There seems to have been a fairly significant shift in (US) administration thinking on China since particularly the London talks," said Emily Benson, head of strategy at Minerva Technology Futures. "The mood now is much more focused on what's possible to achieve, on warming relations where possible and restraining any factors that could increase tensions," she told AFP. Talks with China have not produced a deal but Benson said both countries have made progress, with certain rare earth and semiconductor flows restarting. "Secretary Bessent has also signalled that he thinks a concrete outcome will be to delay the 90-day tariff pause," she said. "That's also promising, because it indicates that something potentially more substantive is on the horizon." The South China Morning Post, citing sources on both sides, reported Sunday that Washington and Beijing are expected to extend their tariff pause by another 90 days. Trump has announced pacts so far with the European Union, Britain, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines, although details have been sparse. An extension of the US-China deal to keep tariffs at reduced levels "would show that both sides see value in continuing talks", said Thibault Denamiel, a fellow at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies. US-China Business Council President Sean Stein said the market is not anticipating a detailed readout from Stockholm: "What's more important is the atmosphere coming out." "The business community is optimistic that the two presidents will meet later this year, hopefully in Beijing," he told AFP. "It's clear that on both sides, the final decision-maker is going to be the president." Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said both countries' willingness to meet was a "positive development". For others, the prospect of higher US tariffs and few details from fresh trade deals mark "a far cry from the ideal scenario", said Denamiel. But they show some progress, particularly with partners Washington has signalled are on its priority list like the EU, Japan, the Philippines and South Korea. The EU unveiled a pact with Washington on Sunday while Seoul is rushing to strike an agreement, after Japan and the Philippines already reached the outlines of deals. Breakthroughs have been patchy since Washington promised a flurry of agreements after unveiling, and then swiftly postponing, tariff hikes targeting dozens of economies in April. Denamiel warned of overlooking countries that fall outside Washington's priority list. Solid partnerships are needed, he said, if Washington wants to diversify supply chains, enforce advanced technology controls, and tackle excess Chinese capacity. - Reuters
The Sun
8 minutes ago
- The Sun
Europe braces for US troop withdrawals amid NATO uncertainty
BRUSSELS: After securing NATO's defence spending pledge to appease Donald Trump, Europe now awaits a crucial US decision on troop withdrawals. Washington is reviewing global military deployments, with reductions in Europe expected in the coming months. The move has unnerved allies, particularly amid fears that Russia may target a NATO member if the Ukraine war subsides. However, recent talks have eased tensions, with US officials assuring no sudden disruptions. 'We've agreed to no surprises and no gaps in the strategic framework of Europe,' said Matthew Whitaker, US ambassador to NATO. He expects the review to conclude by late summer or early fall. While past US administrations considered scaling back in Europe to focus on China, Trump has pushed harder for the continent to bolster its own defence. Analysts see withdrawals as inevitable but debate the pace. 'There's every reason to expect a withdrawal from Europe,' said Marta Mucznik from the International Crisis Group. 'The question is not whether it's going to happen, but how fast.' The Pentagon reports nearly 85,000 US troops in Europe, fluctuating since Russia's 2022 invasion. Officials anticipate gradual reductions rather than abrupt cuts, though key capabilities like air defences remain irreplaceable for now. Trump may first withdraw residual forces deployed by Biden after Russia's Ukraine invasion. While manageable, deeper cuts or base closures could trigger alarm. 'The kinds of defence investments by Europe may only be felt in real capability terms over many years,' said Ian Lesser from the German Marshall Fund. 'So the question of timing really does matter.' Despite Trump's tougher stance on Russia, analysts question the timing of any drawdown. Previous attempts to pull troops from Germany failed due to logistical and political hurdles. European diplomats remain cautiously optimistic but acknowledge unpredictability. Trade disputes or shifting priorities could still strain transatlantic ties. 'It seems positive for now,' said one diplomat. 'But what if we are all wrong and a force decrease starts in 2026? To be honest, there isn't much to go on at this stage.' - AFP
Barnama
27 minutes ago
- Barnama
Syria to Hold First Post-Assad Parliamentary Elections In September
A drone view shows the Syrian central bank, after the ousting of Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo ISTANBUL, July 28 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- Syria plans to hold its first parliamentary elections under the new leadership between Sept 15 and 20 following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported, citing local media. The High Election Committee met Saturday with President Ahmad al-Sharaa to brief him on key amendments to the temporary electoral law, following rounds of consultations with various sectors of Syrian society, the committee's head, Mohammad Taha al-Ahmad, said in comments carried by the state news agency SANA. Sharaa stressed the importance of conducting the elections across all Syrian provinces and rejected any notion of territorial division, which all Syrians oppose. bootstrap slideshow The Syrian president also emphasised the need to exclude individuals who supported or collaborated with war criminals, as well as those who promote sectarianism or partition, Ahmad added. The number of seats in the People's Assembly (parliament) will increase from 150 to 210 under the revised system. Based on the 2011 population census, seat allocations across provinces will expand accordingly. The president will appoint 70 of the 210 members, Ahmad said. He explained that after a presidential decree on the temporary electoral system is signed, the election committee will need about a week to form subcommittees, which will then have 15 days to select the electoral bodies. Candidate registration will follow, giving nominees a week to prepare their campaigns, which will include debates with electoral bodies and committee members. The polls are expected to take place between Sept 15 and 20, he confirmed, adding that women will make up at least 20 per cent of the electoral bodies. He also stated that the electoral process will be open to observation by civil society and international organisations, under the supervision of the High Election Committee, which will also ensure the right to challenge candidate lists and final results.
