A federal judge in Florida appears skeptical of arguments from Donald Trump’s legal team over whether his $10 billion defamation lawsuit can proceed against The Wall Street Journal and News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch. According to reporting, the Obama-appointed judge’s comments on Wednesday suggest the case could be dismissed again.
The lawsuit stems from a July 2025 Wall Street Journal article that cited a “bawdy” letter reportedly from Trump and included in a 2003 birthday book connected to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Trump denies that he authored or signed the letter. His attorneys argue the newspaper published the story despite being told the information was false.
The case also names Murdoch and relates to whether the claims can survive at the pleading stage or whether legal or procedural grounds warrant dismissal. The judge’s apparent lack of receptiveness to Trump’s arguments indicates the court may limit the lawsuit’s continuation, though no final decision is stated in the accounts provided.
