Judge dismisses Trump's Wall Street Journal lawsuit over Epstein letter with prejudice

A federal judge on Saturday threw out 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 ². U.S. 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 ².

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 ². Gayles issued the 20-page ruling Saturday afternoon, finding that Trump failed to prove the paper acted with "actual malice" by reporting on his links to Epstein ¹.

It is the second time this year courts have blocked Trump's efforts to sue the paper over stories about his relationship with the disgraced financier ¹. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling ¹.

Why the ruling matters

The dismissal with prejudice means the case cannot be refiled as it was brought ². That matters because a president suing a newspaper over its reporting tests how much legal risk newsrooms face when covering public officials. The judge's finding that Trump fell short on "actual malice" is the standard the law sets for defamation claims by public figures ¹².

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The pattern is notable: this is the second court loss this year for Trump against the Journal over Epstein coverage ¹. The ruling lands three days before the midterm election, though the wire copy does not link the timing to the vote.

What happens next

Because the suit was dismissed with prejudice, Trump would need a different legal theory or a new filing to pursue the claim again ². The White House has not said whether it will appeal; it did not immediately respond to a request for comment ¹.

The Record

1. Oct 31, 2026Judge Darrin Gayles dismissed Trump's lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and Rupert Murdoch with prejudice, ruling Trump did not prove actual malice ².
2. Oct 31, 2026Gayles issued a 20-page ruling Saturday afternoon finding Trump failed to prove the paper acted with actual malice in reporting on his links to Epstein ¹.

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<h2>Judge dismisses Trump&#39;s Wall Street Journal lawsuit over Epstein letter with prejudice</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files Courts Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/judge-dismisses-trump-s-wall-street-journal-lawsuit-over-epstein-letter-with-prejudice">The GOP Files</a> on Saturday, October 31, 2026.</em></p> <p>A federal judge on Saturday threw out President Donald Trump&#39;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 . U.S. 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 .</p> <p>The lawsuit was over a story the Journal published last year describing a sexually suggestive letter that the paper said bore Trump&#39;s name and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein&#39;s 50th birthday . Gayles issued the 20-page ruling Saturday afternoon, finding that Trump failed to prove the paper acted with &quot;actual malice&quot; by reporting on his links to Epstein .</p> <p>It is the second time this year courts have blocked Trump&#39;s efforts to sue the paper over stories about his relationship with the disgraced financier . The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling .</p> <h2>Why the ruling matters</h2> <p>The dismissal with prejudice means the case cannot be refiled as it was brought . That matters because a president suing a newspaper over its reporting tests how much legal risk newsrooms face when covering public officials. The judge&#39;s finding that Trump fell short on &quot;actual malice&quot; is the standard the law sets for defamation claims by public figures .</p> <p>The pattern is notable: this is the second court loss this year for Trump against the Journal over Epstein coverage . The ruling lands three days before the midterm election, though the wire copy does not link the timing to the vote.</p> <h2>What happens next</h2> <p>Because the suit was dismissed with prejudice, Trump would need a different legal theory or a new filing to pursue the claim again . The White House has not said whether it will appeal; it did not immediately respond to a request for comment .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/judge-dismisses-trump-s-wall-street-journal-lawsuit-over-epstein-letter-with-prejudice">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/judge-dismisses-trump-s-wall-street-journal-lawsuit-over-epstein-letter-with-prejudice.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. Axios, “Judge tosses Trump lawsuit against WSJ, Murdoch over Epstein story” (2026-10-31). axios.com/2026/10/31/trump-epstein-wsj-murdoch
2. AP News, “Trump lawsuit against Wall Street Journal over Epstein birthday letter is dismissed with prejudice” (2026-10-31). apnews.com/article/trump-media-lawsuit-wall-street-journal-d

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