Federal Judge Dismisses Trump's $10-14B Lawsuit Over Epstein Reporting
Court throws out massive defamation suit against Wall Street Journal and Murdoch media properties. First Lady Melania Trump issues unprompted denial of Epstein ties.
A federal judge has dismissed former President Trump's massive defamation lawsuit seeking $10-14 billion in damages against media outlets over their reporting on his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. According to PBS, The Daily Beast, and National Enquirer, the lawsuit targeted the Wall Street Journal and other Murdoch-owned properties over reporting that included references to an Epstein birthday card.
The dismissal comes amid renewed scrutiny of high-profile Epstein connections. Fox 26 Houston and MyNorthwest reported that First Lady Melania Trump issued an unprompted public denial of any personal ties to Jeffrey Epstein, leading to speculation about why she felt compelled to address the topic now. The timing of her statement has raised questions given the ongoing public interest in the [Epstein documents](/documents).
Meanwhile, Yahoo reported on claims that Ghislaine Maxwell may be attempting to use unknown information as a "negotiating chip" for potential prison release. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein's trafficking operation. The nature of any potential information she might possess remains unclear, but such reports often fuel speculation about undisclosed details from the Epstein investigation.
The dismissed lawsuit represents one of the largest defamation claims in recent memory, though legal experts had questioned its viability from the outset. The court's decision effectively ends Trump's attempt to seek damages over media coverage of his documented social connections to Epstein, which have been extensively detailed in the public [flight logs](/flights) and other archived materials.