Trump Wall Street Journal lawsuit dismissed with prejudice by Florida judge
A federal judge dismissed Trump’s amended defamation case over an Epstein birthday-book report, finding it did not adequately allege actual malice.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Trump’s Wall Street Journal lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice Saturday after a federal judge in Florida ruled that the president’s amended defamation complaint still did not adequately allege the “actual malice” required in a public-figure case.
U.S. District Judge Darrin P. Gayles dismissed the case on Oct. 31 in the Southern District of Florida, ending Trump’s second attempt to pursue the claim in that court. Reuters reported that the refiled action sought at least $10 billion in damages.
The lawsuit targeted the Journal’s reporting about a birthday album assembled for Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The newspaper reported that the album included a sexually suggestive letter or card bearing Trump’s name. Trump has denied writing or creating the document and called the reporting false.
Why was Trump’s Wall Street Journal lawsuit dismissed?
Gayles found that Trump had not plausibly alleged actual malice by each defendant, according to NBC News. For a public figure bringing a defamation claim, actual malice means a publisher knew a statement was false or acted with reckless disregard for whether it was true, PBS NewsHour reported.
The judge had dismissed an earlier version of the lawsuit in April but allowed Trump to amend it. Trump filed a revised complaint in May. In the latest ruling, Gayles said the allegations about malice were conclusory, vague and, at times, inconsistent with the Journal article, according to the Associated Press report published by PBS.
Reuters reported that Gayles described the Journal’s work as a detailed investigation and pointed to its reporters’ efforts to seek comment from Trump and other officials before publication. The judge also noted that the article told readers Trump had called the document fake and denied writing it, PBS reported.
What does dismissal with prejudice mean?
A dismissal with prejudice bars Trump from filing the same claim again in that court. It does not, however, resolve the underlying dispute over whether the birthday document was authentic.
NBC News reported that Epstein’s estate later released a copy matching the Journal’s description. Trump and the White House have maintained that the document is fake. The court’s ruling addressed whether Trump’s complaint met the legal standard for defamation, not whether the document was genuine.
There is also a difference in reported damages figures. Reuters described the amended suit as seeking at least $10 billion, while CBS News said Trump’s initial filing sought $20 billion.
A spokesperson for Trump’s legal team told CBS that he would continue to pursue claims against the Journal and the other defendants. CBS also cited a person familiar with Trump’s legal strategy who said an appeal was likely, though no appeal was reported as filed.
This story draws on original reporting from NBC News.