AmericasDevelopingDay 2
Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal dismissed
A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump's lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch with prejudice, ruling Trump did not prove the defendants acted with actual malice.
Updated 09:59 UTC, 1 November 2026 · 4 reports from 4 outlets · 3 confirmed · 24 one-source
Top reportJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Image: RT
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Where it stands A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump's lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch with prejudice, ruling Trump did not prove the defendants acted with actual malice.
27 earlier changes
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Story opened A judge has dismissed Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over an Epstein-linked birthday book and letter.
Two sides
The two media blocs whose accounts of this story differ most, side by side.
Where they part Russian state media centres the judge's reasoning and Trump's denial, while Middle East state media leads with Trump losing the legal battle and the dismissal with prejudice.
Russian state media
RTState media
Russian state media, through RT, centres the judge's reasoning and Trump's own denial, quoting his words that 'This is not me. This is a fake thing.' It foregrounds the ruling that Trump 'has failed' to prove actual malice and notes the judge allowed the president's team to fix legal defects and file again, while the dismissal with prejudice is not mentioned.
Middle East state media
Al JazeeraState media
Al Jazeera foregrounds Trump's legal defeat, leading with the headline that he 'loses legal battle' and centring the judge's words, including that the complaint 'falls short of pleading actual malice' and that Trump was 'grasping at straws'. It details his July 2025 filing and denial of responsibility for the note, and notes the dismissal 'with prejudice' blocks future litigation.
How it’s being told
One card per media bloc. Each summary is written only from that bloc’s own headlines and quotes.
Russian state media
RTState media
Russian state media, through RT, centres the judge's reasoning and Trump's own denial, quoting his words that 'This is not me. This is a fake thing.' It foregrounds the ruling that Trump 'has failed' to prove actual malice and notes the judge allowed the president's team to fix legal defects and file again, while the dismissal with prejudice is not mentioned.
European media
BBCPublic broadcaster
European media, through the BBC, foregrounds the judge's reasoning, centring the ruling that Trump's team did not prove 'actual malice' and quoting the judge that this 'runs afoul of the First Amendment'. It details Trump's claims that the letter was 'fake' and his denial of writing it, while noting the case was thrown out 'with prejudice'.
Middle East state media
Al JazeeraState media
Al Jazeera foregrounds Trump's legal defeat, leading with the headline that he 'loses legal battle' and centring the judge's words, including that the complaint 'falls short of pleading actual malice' and that Trump was 'grasping at straws'. It details his July 2025 filing and denial of responsibility for the note, and notes the dismissal 'with prejudice' blocks future litigation.
Asian media
South China Morning PostPrivate
South China Morning Post centres the judge's ruling and the letter at the heart of the case, quoting the ruling that the suit was grasping at strams and sought to 'manufacture' flaws in the Journal's reporting. It gives space to Trump's denial, calling the story 'false, malicious, and defamatory', and details the letter's sexually suggestive content and the alleged 'overwhelming financial and reputational harm'.
In their words
What the people at the centre of this story said, word for word, with the article each quote appeared in.
That is not what the actual malice standard requires and runs afoul of the First Amendment
This is not me. This is a fake thing. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women.
But that is not what the actual malice standard requires and runs afoul of the First Amendment
The Amended Complaint falls short of pleading actual malice
Receipts
Every claim with the verbatim sentence it came from. Tap a claim to see its sources.
Confirmed 3
Reported by at least two independent outlets, or by the actor itself.
Gayles's decision dismisses the case "with prejudice", blocking any future litigation on the matter.
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“Gayles’s decision dismisses the case “with prejudice”, which effectively blocks any future litigation on the matter.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
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“Trump's team refiled the suit seeking $10 billion, and this time, the judge threw out the case"with prejudice," meaning the suit cannot be filed again.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump did not prove the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice.
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“On Saturday, the same judge threw out Trump’s second attempt to sue the WSJ and Murdoch, saying that “as with his first attempt, he has failed” to prove that the defendants acted with actual malice when they reported on the birthday card.”
RTState mediaAttributesJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
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“US District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami dismissed the suit with prejudice, ruling that the president did not prove the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice.”
South China Morning PostPrivateReportsJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
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“On Saturday, US District Judge Darrin Gayles concluded that the president had failed to establish the standard of “actual malice” required for defamation suits.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
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“The judge wrote that Trump's legal team did not prove that the defendants made defamatory statements with"actual malice", which the law requires be proven.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
A federal judge dismissed Donald Trump's lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on Saturday.
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“A federal judge on Saturday threw out US President Donald Trump’s multibillion-dollar lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over a story reporting on his ties to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.”
South China Morning PostPrivateReportsJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
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“A federal judge has permanently dismissed United States President Donald Trump’s multibillion-dollar defamation lawsuit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
One source 24
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Trump's lawyers argued the outlet should have dropped the story as soon as the president denied involvement with Epstein.
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“Gayles disagreed with Trump’s lawyers, who argued that the outlet should have dropped the story as soon as the president denied his involvement with Epstein.”
RTState mediaAttributesJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Judge Darrin Gayles issued a 20-page ruling.
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““That is not what the actual malice standard requires and runs afoul of the First Amendment,” he wrote in a 20-page ruling.”
RTState mediaReportsJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Judge Darrin Gayles wrote that the actual malice standard does not require dropping a story as soon as the subject denies involvement.
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““That is not what the actual malice standard requires and runs afoul of the First Amendment,” he wrote in a 20-page ruling.”
RTState mediaAttributesJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Trump denied writing the birthday card, saying: "This is not me. This is a fake thing. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women."
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“Following the publication, the US president vigorously denied the authorship of the raunchy birthday card, claiming: “This is not me. This is a fake thing. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women.””
RTState mediaReportsJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Judge Darrin Gayles allowed Trump's team to fix the legal defects and file another complaint after the first dismissal.
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“However, he allowed the president’s team to fix the legal defects that he had identified and file another complaint.”
RTState mediaReportsJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Judge Darrin Gayles rejected Trump's first defamation case against the Wall Street Journal and News Corp in Miami in April.
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“Trump’s initial defamation case against the Wall Street Journal and Murdoch’s News Corp., which owns the outlet, was rejected by US District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami in April.”
RTState mediaReportsJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
US District Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed Trump's second defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch on Saturday.
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“On Saturday, the same judge threw out Trump’s second attempt to sue the WSJ and Murdoch, saying that “as with his first attempt, he has failed” to prove that the defendants acted with actual malice when they reported on the birthday card.”
RTState mediaReportsJudge rules on Trump’s defamation lawsuit against WSJ over Epstein letter
Trump alleged the letter released by the Journal was fake and devised to defame him.
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“Trump alleged that the letter obtained and released by the Journal, which features his signature at the bottom, was"fake" and that the defendants devised the story in order to defame him.”
BBCPublic broadcasterAttributesJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
Judge Gayles wrote that the actual malice standard does not require the paper to disregard its investigation.
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“"But that is not what the actual malice standard requires and runs afoul of the First Amendment," Gayles wrote.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
Trump denies writing or signing the letter to Epstein.
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“Trump has denied writing or signing the letter, which included suggestive language and a drawing of the outline of a woman's body.”
BBCPublic broadcasterDeniesJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
Trump sued Dow Jones and Rupert Murdoch last year over a report on a letter allegedly written to Jeffrey Epstein.
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“Trump had sued the media outlet's parent company Dow Jones and its leader Rupert Murdoch last year after it reported on a letter allegedly written by Trump to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as part of a birthday book in 2003, before Epstein was charged with sex crimes.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
Judge Darrin Gayles ruled Trump's lawsuit runs counter to the First Amendment.
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“Judge Darrin Gayles threw out the case, finding the suit runs counter to the First Amendment, which protects freedom of the press.”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
A US judge dismissed Donald Trump's $10bn lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal.
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“A US judge has thrown out President Donald Trump's $10bn (£7.4bn) lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, ruling the suit was"grasping at straws".”
BBCPublic broadcasterReportsJudge dismisses Trump's lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday book
Trump filed his lawsuit in the federal court in Miami on July 18, 2025.
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“His lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Miami on July 18, 2025, accused the paper and its reporters of having “knowingly and recklessly” published “numerous false, defamatory, and disparaging statements”.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
Trump denied responsibility for the text, the signature and the artwork in the birthday letter.
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“Trump vehemently denied responsibility for the text, the signature and the artwork.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
The Wall Street Journal published an exclusive on July 17, 2025, describing a sexually suggestive birthday note gifted to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.
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“On July 17, 2025, The Wall Street Journal published an exclusive describing a sexually suggestive birthday note gifted to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003, as part of a book of congratulatory letters.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
Gayles wrote that the amended complaint falls short of pleading actual malice.
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““The Amended Complaint falls short of pleading actual malice,” Gayles wrote.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
Gayles said Trump was "grasping at straws" with his $10bn case against The Wall Street Journal.
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“Gayles, however, said that Trump was “grasping at straws” with his $10bn case against The Wall Street Journal.”
Al JazeeraState mediaReportsTrump loses legal battle over Epstein-linked Wall Street Journal case
The letter bearing Trump's name ends with "Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret".
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“The letter bearing Trump’s name includes text framed by the outline of what appears to be a hand-drawn naked woman and ends with, “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret”, according to the newspaper.”
South China Morning PostPrivateAttributesJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
The lawsuit accused the paper and its reporters of "knowingly and recklessly" publishing "numerous false, defamatory and disparaging statements".
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“The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Miami, accused the paper and its reporters of having “knowingly and recklessly” published “numerous false, defamatory and disparaging statements”, which, it alleged, caused “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” to the president.”
South China Morning PostPrivateAttributesJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
Trump denied writing the letter and called the story "false, malicious, and defamatory".
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“Trump denied writing it and called the story “false, malicious, and defamatory”.”
South China Morning PostPrivateDeniesJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
The Wall Street Journal published a story last year describing a sexually suggestive letter said to bear Trump's name in a 2003 album for Epstein's 50th birthday.
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“The lawsuit was over a story the Journal published last year describing a sexually suggestive letter that the paper said bore Trump’s name and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday.”
South China Morning PostPrivateReportsJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
The ruling said the lawsuit was "grasping at straws" in attempting to "manufacture" flaws in the Journal's reporting.
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“The ruling said the lawsuit was “grasping at straws” as it attempted to “manufacture” flaws in the Journal’s investigative reporting.”
South China Morning PostPrivateReportsJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
US District Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice.
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“US District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami dismissed the suit with prejudice, ruling that the president did not prove the defendants made defamatory statements with actual malice.”
South China Morning PostPrivateReportsJudge throws out Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter
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HeadlineJudge throws out Trump suit against WSJ over Epstein birthday letter
Judge quote "grasping at straws" and "$10 billion" added; new paragraphs on Trump's lawsuits against BBC, AP, CNN, MS Now, Politico and "fake news" remarks added.
Removed
A federal judge on Saturday threw out US President Donald Trump’s multibillion-dollar lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over a story reporting on his ties to wealthy financier Jeffrey Epstein.AddedSaying the US president was “grasping at straws”, a federal judge on Saturday threw out Donald Trump’s US$10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and media mogul Rupert Murdoch over a story reporting on his ties to wealthy…
All sources
4 reports from 4 outlets — with who owns each outlet and who pays for it.
RT State media
RussiaOwner: ANO TV-NovostiPaid by: Russian federal budget
Al Jazeera State media
QatarOwner: Al Jazeera Media NetworkPaid by: funded by the State of Qatar
BBC Public broadcaster
United KingdomOwner: BBC — public corporation under Royal CharterPaid by: TV licence fee
South China Morning Post Private
Hong KongOwner: Alibaba Group (since 2016)Paid by: advertising + subscriptions
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3 confirmed · 24 one-source4 outletsUpdated