A federal judge in Florida expressed skepticism on Wednesday regarding Donald Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its founder Rupert Murdoch. The lawsuit stems from a July 2025 article discussing a letter allegedly from Trump included in a birthday book for Jeffrey Epstein. Trump has denied authorship of the letter, and his attorneys contend that the Journal published the article despite knowing it was false. Judge Darrin P Gayles previously dismissed the case in April, citing insufficient evidence of actual malice, a necessary standard for defamation claims, but allowed Trump to refile the lawsuit, which was done in May.
During the hearing, Trump's attorney Alejandro Brito argued that the Journal failed to adhere to journalistic standards. He pointed out that only four individuals could verify the letter's authenticity, all of whom are either deceased or have denied involvement. The judge questioned whether Trump suffered financial harm from the publication, stating that the claims appeared conclusory. Defendants' attorneys argued that Trump's team had not made progress in proving defamation and that the lawsuit should be dismissed. They emphasized that the Journal's inclusion of Trump's denials demonstrated responsible journalism. A ruling from the judge is expected soon, and discovery in the case has been stayed.