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Donald Trump sought at least $10 billion in damages over WSJ report that he sent birthday greetings to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which included a sexually suggestive drawing.
Trump sues Wall Street Journal (Reuters File Image)
US President Donald Trump on Friday slapped the Wall Street Journal and its owners with a lawsuit, seeking at least $10 billion in damages over the newspaper’s report that the Republican leader sent a birthday greeting to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to the “secrets” between them.
Trump filed the lawsuit in federal court in Florida against Dow Jones, media company News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, and two WSJ reporters, accusing them of defamation. He alleged that the defendants acted with malicious intent, causing him significant financial and reputational damage.
He has outrightly denied the WSJ report and warned Murdoch, who is the founder of News Corp, that he was planning to sue him. Dow Jones is the parent of the newspaper and a division of News Corp.
“I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his ‘pile of garbage’ newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!” Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday.
The sex offender and financier was found dead in a New York jail in 2019. The case has grabbed the headlines lately as Trump’s base of supporters believed that the government was covering up Epstein’s links to the rich and powerful.
Some of Trump’s most loyal supporters got angry when his administration went back on its promise to release documents about the Epstein case. A Justice Department note, shared on July 7, said Epstein died by suicide and claimed there was no list of powerful clients or proof that he blackmailed important people. Attorney General Pam Bondi had vowed earlier that she would put out major revelations about Epstein, which would include “a lot of names” and “a lot of flight logs”.
What Had Wall Street Journal Reported?
The WSJ had reported that a letter with Trump’s name was part of a leather-bound birthday book given to Epstein, which also included notes from other well-known people. According to the newspaper, the letter had a few lines of typewritten text surrounded by the outline of a naked woman, which seemed to be drawn by hand using a thick marker. The letter ended with the words: “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret” – with the signature “Donald” at the end.
Accusations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 — after the birthday book was supposedly made — and he was arrested that same year before taking a plea deal. He died just over a month after being arrested again and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
Trump was seen in photos with Epstein several times during the 1990s and early 2000s at social events. In 2019, Trump told reporters he had ended his relationship with Epstein before any of his legal troubles came to light.
Back in 2002, when Trump and Epstein were neighbors in Florida, New York magazine quoted Trump saying, “I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
In 2019, speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said he had a “falling out” with Epstein before the financier’s first arrest. “I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him,” Trump said. “I had a falling out with him. I haven’t spoken to him in 15 years. I was not a fan of his, that I can tell you.”
(With Reuters inputs)
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes…Read More
Ashesh Mallick is a Sub-Editor with over three years of experience in news writing, video production. He primarily covers national news, politics and global affairs. You can follow him on Twitter: @MallickAshes… Read More
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Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
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