Donald Trump has filed a defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its parent company News Corp, naming Rupert Murdoch personally, over an article that linked him to financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The legal move, lodged in a federal court late Thursday, marks a dramatic escalation in Trump’s battle with parts of the mainstream media ahead of the 2024 US presidential election.
Allegations and denials at the heart of the dispute
The lawsuit targets a Wall Street Journal report published earlier this month that cited flight records, visitor logs and anonymous sources claiming Trump had more frequent and private contact with Epstein than he had previously admitted. The article alleged that Trump attended multiple events hosted by Epstein and visited his properties in New York and Palm Beach beyond what was publicly known.
Trump, who has repeatedly denied any close association with Epstein, claims the article was “knowingly false” and “designed to damage his reputation and electoral prospects”. His legal team argues that the Journal ignored exculpatory evidence, failed to verify claims, and published the piece with “actual malice” — the standard required for public figures to win a defamation suit in the United States.
Rupert Murdoch named as co-defendant
In an unusual legal move, Trump’s lawyers also named Rupert Murdoch, the founder and executive chairman of News Corp, as a co-defendant. The complaint alleges that Murdoch “personally oversaw or influenced editorial decisions” that led to what Trump’s team calls a “politically motivated smear campaign”.
The lawsuit accuses Murdoch and News Corp of maintaining an editorial climate hostile to Trump in recent years, pointing to past coverage in the Wall Street Journal and Fox News that has been critical of the former president, particularly since the January 6 Capitol riot. Trump claims the Epstein report was part of a broader “effort to undermine his candidacy and legacy”.
News Corp has not yet issued a formal response, but sources close to the company indicate it plans to defend the article vigorously, citing public interest and press freedom protections under the First Amendment. The Wall Street Journal declined to comment beyond stating that it “stands by its reporting”.
Media freedom and political stakes
The lawsuit is already stirring debate over press freedom, political influence, and the boundaries of defamation law. Legal analysts suggest the case faces high hurdles, given the protections afforded to journalists reporting on matters of public concern. However, the decision to sue Murdoch directly raises the political temperature and could fuel further tensions between Trump and conservative media outlets.
If the case proceeds, it may involve discovery processes that compel internal communications at News Corp — a scenario that could expose editorial deliberations and further complicate the relationship between Trump and Murdoch’s media empire. Fox News, once a reliable Trump ally, has grown more ambivalent in recent months, while the Wall Street Journal has adopted a more sceptical tone in its editorial coverage.
Strategic timing ahead of a volatile election season
The timing of the lawsuit is significant. Trump has recently secured the Republican nomination and is preparing for a high-stakes election campaign against President Joe Biden. Filing the lawsuit may serve to energise Trump’s base, reinforce his narrative of media persecution, and distract from negative coverage.
At the same time, the move risks drawing greater attention to the Epstein connection — a subject that has ensnared numerous public figures in recent years, including Prince Andrew and Bill Gates. Trump’s name has appeared in flight logs and photographs alongside Epstein, but no legal proceedings have ever been brought against him in connection to Epstein’s crimes.
The lawsuit adds to a growing list of legal entanglements surrounding the former president, who faces multiple criminal and civil cases across several states. Whether the suit against Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal will gain traction remains uncertain, but its political ramifications are already being felt.
REFH – Newshub, 19 July 2025
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