Trump’s case against the Wall Street Journal over Epstein ‘birthday card’ thrown out by federal judge
Donald Trump’s case against the Wall Street Journal over the Jeffrey Epstein ‘birthday card’ has been thrown out by a federal judge.
Trump sued the Rupert Murdoch-owned paper for $10 billion in damages after it published the letter last year, allegedly signed by the President and featuring a lewd drawing with the message: ‘May every day be another wonderful secret.’
The President denied writing the letter and said the signature was not his.
Florida District Judge Darrin P. Gayles said in his order on Monday that Trump failed to show that the article was published with ‘actual malice’ – the legal standard for proving defamation.
To prove actual malice Trump and his team would have to show that not only is the report factually incorrect, but the outlet knew so and decided to publish regardless.
‘This complaint comes nowhere close to this standard,’ Gayles wrote in his decision. ‘Quite the opposite.’
‘President Trump argues that this allegation shows that Defendants acted with serious doubts about the truth of their reporting and, therefore, with actual malice. The Court disagrees,’ he continued.
The paper published a letter allegedly penned from Trump to Epstein in 2003, for the late sex offender’s 50th birthday.
A birthday letter that President Donald Trump allegedly wrote to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein more than 20 years ago
Trump and Melania with Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell at Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000
Trump has denied that he wrote the letter and sued the Wall Street Journal for publishing it. A judge said Monday Trump did not prove defamation in his case, and it was subsequently thrown out
‘We have certain things in common, Jeffrey,’ the letter says, adding, ‘A pal is a wonderful thing.’
The note was written in what appears to be the outline of a woman’s body.
The judge noted that Trump may amended version of his suit by April 27 if the President wishes to press forward against the WSJ.
Trump’s legal team has already indicated its desire to refile the suit, the New York Times reported.
When the letter was first published the administration pushed back on its legitimacy.
‘The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal proves this entire ‘Birthday Card’ story is false,’ White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on X. ‘As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.’
‘President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation,’ her statement continued, lambasting the reporter for publishing ‘fake news’ about the ‘Democrat Epstein Hoax!’
The famed birthday book is reportedly a compilation of messages collected by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell for his 50th birthday.
She collected and scanned the materials and bound them into an album she gave to Epstein for his birthday in 2003. Many big names wrote messages to Epstein for his birthday, according to multiple reporters who have allegedly viewed the binder.
Reports also indicate that the book contained a handwritten note from former President Bill Clinton, who had a social and professional relationship with Epstein in the 1990s and 2000s.
