*All pertinent information about what was published in the Wall Street Journal and the reasons why Trump is suing are included in the court document below.

As of the filing, Murdoch and News Corp have not publicly commented. Trump’s lawyers provided a statement within the filing, reiterating the alleged falsity of the report and the supposed lack of any authentic letter or drawing.

 If the court does not dismiss the case, it would move to discovery, where both sides could be required to produce evidence (including, potentially, the alleged letter or correspondence regarding its authenticity). The discovery process could potentially provide access to a broad range of documents, including additional Epstein-related files. Under federal civil discovery rules, the scope of discoverable materials extends well beyond the immediate dispute to encompass any non-privileged information relevant to the claims and defenses in the case.

The Justice Department and FBI have acknowledged possessing extensive Epstein-related materials, including “40 computers and electronic devices, 26 storage drives, more than 70 CDs and six recording devices” containing “more than 300 gigabytes of data”. The evidence inventory also includes “approximately 60 pieces of physical evidence, including photographs, travel logs, employee lists” and “multiple photo albums”.

While the DOJ has stated that releasing this material “would not be appropriate or warranted” due to victim privacy concerns and lack of prosecutorial value, civil discovery operates under different standards and protections than criminal disclosure.

As with other high-profile defamation suits, much may depend on whether the Wall Street Journal possesses and can authenticate the letter in question, or if the story’s sourcing is successfully challenged. The outcome could have far-reaching ramifications for how the U.S. media handles contentious reporting on public figures.

Since Donald Trump’s entry into politics in 2015, his legal battles with media outlets have increased dramatically compared to his pre-political career. From his first presidency through his current second term, Trump has filed at least 11 major lawsuits against prominent media organizations.

Complete List of Media Lawsuits (2017-2025)

First Presidency Era (2017-2021)

2020 Campaign Lawsuits Against Major Newspapers

• CNN: Trump’s campaign sued over an opinion piece linking his campaign to Russian interference. The case was dismissed.
• New York Times: Similar defamation suit over Russian interference reporting. Also dismissed.
• Washington Post: Campaign filed libel suit over opinion pieces from 2019. Case dismissed.
• Wisconsin TV Station: Sued over an ad claiming Trump called coronavirus a hoax. This case was settled quietly with no apology required from Trump.

Post-Presidency Era (2021-2025)

• 2022 CNN “Big Lie” Lawsuit: Trump sued CNN for $475 million, claiming the network defamed him by using the term “Big Lie” to describe his election claims. The suit was dismissed by a federal judge in July 2023, with Trump appealing the decision.
• 2022 Pulitzer Prize Board Lawsuit: Trump sued the Pulitzer board for continuing to recognize The New York Times and Washington Post for their Russian interference reporting. The case has been paused as Trump’s lawyers claim presidential immunity should prevent litigation during his term.
• 2023 New York Times (Mary Trump Case): Trump sued The New York Times and three reporters over their interactions with his niece Mary Trump, claiming tortious interference related to a 2001 family confidentiality agreement. The case was dismissed under New York’s anti-SLAPP statute, and Trump was ordered to pay nearly $400,000 in the newspaper’s legal fees
• 2024 ABC News Settlement: Trump sued ABC News after anchor George Stephanopoulos incorrectly stated that Trump had been found liable for “rape” in the E. Jean Carroll case (he was actually found liable for sexual abuse). ABC settled for $15 million toward Trump’s presidential library plus $1 million in legal fees.
• 2024-2025 CBS/60 Minutes Settlement: Trump sued CBS for $20 billion over alleged deceptive editing of a Kamala Harris interview on “60 Minutes”. Paramount Global settled in July 2025 for $16 million, despite legal experts calling the lawsuit “frivolous”.
• 2024-2025 Des Moines Register/Ann Selzer Case: Trump sued the Iowa newspaper and pollster Ann Selzer over a pre-election poll showing Harris leading in Iowa, which he won by 13 points. The case was dropped from federal court, refiled in state court, then ultimately dropped entirely
• 2025 Wall Street Journal/Murdoch Lawsuit: Trump’s most recent lawsuit seeks $10 billion from the Wall Street Journal, News Corp, and Rupert Murdoch over an article about an alleged letter Trump sent to Jeffrey Epstein. The case is ongoing.