Judge dismisses Donald Trump defamation lawsuit against Wall Street Journal

A judge has dismissed Donald Trump's revised defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, according to reports from Politico and the Guardian. Politico, the Guardian, the Independent, the Wall Street Journal, and CBC all report that the court rejected the legal challenge centered on a report about a letter involving Jeffrey Epstein. Judge Darrin Gayles ruled against Trump's attorneys in the matter, Politico reported. [1][8][9][10][11][12]

Judge Darrin Gayles determined that attorneys for Donald Trump failed to credibly allege actual malice in the updated complaint filed against the newspaper, according to Politico. The Independent reported that the judge permanently threw out the lawsuit against the publication. [1][9][12]

The lawsuit involved coverage relating to Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier and convicted child sex offender whose records include contact books, flight logs, and court documents. Donald Trump currently serves as the 47th president of the United States after taking office on January 20, 2025. [13][15]