Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Judge jams Trump on Epstein birthday book lawsuit after WSJ pushes for dismissal

rawstory.com · 6dShare

A federal judge froze all evidence-gathering in President Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over an Epstein birthday letter. U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles issued the stay Wednesday after hearing oral arguments in Miami federal court on the Wall Street Journal's motion to have the case thrown out entirely, according to court records. Trump sued in July 2025 after the Wall Street Journal reported that a letter bearing his name appeared in convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's 50th-birthday album. The letter contained a drawing of a naked woman and ended with the words, "A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret," according to the Wall Street Journal's reporting. Trump has denied writing it. During a hearing on Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal argued the case should be killed for good. Gayles suspended discovery in the case later that same day. "His case should be dismissed again — thi

First report: Judge signals Trump’s defamation lawsuit against Wall Street Journal may be dismissed again — theguardian.com, 6d