Trump Urges Murdoch to Testify Quickly on 'Fake Epstein Birthday Letter' Amid Health Concerns

Legal Battle Over Alleged Letter Involving Donald Trump

President Donald Trump is currently engaged in a legal battle involving media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who owns The Wall Street Journal. Trump has requested a federal judge in Florida to compel Murdoch to provide a deposition within 15 days. This move comes as part of Trump's ongoing lawsuit against the newspaper, which he claims published defamatory content regarding his connections with Jeffrey Epstein.

Background of the Lawsuit

The President filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in southern Florida on July 18. The case centers around a story that reported on Trump's ties to Epstein, a financier and alleged child sex trafficker who died in a New York jail in 2019 before his trial could take place. Trump's motion to the court highlights that Murdoch is 94 years old and has reportedly faced several health issues in recent years. It also notes that Murdoch is believed to reside in New York.

Claims and Arguments

In the motion, Trump argues that these factors make it likely that Murdoch would be unavailable for in-person testimony at trial. However, News Corp, which owns The Wall Street Journal, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the matter. According to Trump's motion, Murdoch's lawyer indicated that he would oppose the effort to have him testify.

The lawsuit against Murdoch, his media company News Corp, and The Wall Street Journal revolves around a report detailing an alleged sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper claims bears Trump's name. This letter was included in a 2003 album for Epstein's 50th birthday. Trump denies writing the letter, calling it "false, malicious, and defamatory."

Financial and Reputational Damage

The $10 billion suit, filed in federal court in Miami, accuses the paper and its reporters of having "knowingly and recklessly" published "numerous false, defamatory, and disparaging statements." These actions, according to the lawsuit, caused "overwhelming financial and reputational harm" to the President.

Trump’s Public Statements

In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump framed the lawsuit as part of his broader efforts to hold news outlets accountable. He mentioned ABC and CBS, which both reached multimillion-dollar settlement deals with the President after he took them to court. Trump wrote, "This lawsuit is filed not only on behalf of your favorite President, ME, but also in order to continue standing up for ALL Americans who will no longer tolerate the abusive wrongdoings of the Fake News Media."

Response from the Journal

A spokesperson for Dow Jones, the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, responded shortly after the suit was filed by stating, "We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit."

Details of the Alleged Letter

The letter revealed by The Wall Street Journal was reportedly collected by Ghislaine Maxwell, a disgraced British socialite, as part of a birthday album for Epstein. This occurred years before Epstein was first arrested in 2006 and had a falling-out with Trump. The letter bearing Trump's name includes text framed by the outline of what appears to be a hand-drawn naked woman and ends with, "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret," according to the newspaper.

Denial and Legal Challenges

Trump denied writing the letter and promised to sue. He claimed he spoke to both the paper's owner, Murdoch, and its top editor, who is not named in the lawsuit, before the story was published and told them the letter was "fake." Trump insisted, "These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures."

In the lawsuit, Trump takes issue with the fact that the defendants failed to attach the letter, the alleged drawing, or show proof that Trump authored or signed any such letter. He also claims they failed to explain how the purported letter was obtained. The lawsuit alleges that the "Defendants concocted this story to malign President Trump's character and integrity and deceptively portray him in a false light."