{"id":2607759,"date":"2026-05-28T08:53:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T12:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-files-revised-lawsuit-against-publisher-of-epstein-birthday-letter\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T08:55:05","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T12:55:05","slug":"trump-files-revised-lawsuit-against-publisher-of-epstein-birthday-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-files-revised-lawsuit-against-publisher-of-epstein-birthday-letter\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump files revised lawsuit against publisher of Epstein birthday letter"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-files-revised-lawsuit-against-publisher-of-epstein-birthday-letter%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2607759&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Donald Trump has refiled his amended defamation lawsuit against the *Wall Street Journal*, arguing the paper published an alleged birthday letter Trump wrote to Jeffrey Epstein with \u201cactual malice.\u201d The case follows a prior dismissal by Judge Darrin P. Gayles,who said Trump hadn\u2019t <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >sufficiently shown actual malice<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p>In the new filing, Trump\u2019s lawyers point to alleged gaps in the *Journal*\u2019s reporting-such as how the letter was obtained and verified, why the article didn\u2019t include an image of the letter, and why the paper didn\u2019t present or seek Ghislaine Maxwell\u2019s account. Trump\u2019s attorneys argue the *Journal*\u2019s omission of what Maxwell said, or refusal to interview her during the reporting process, suggests the outlet avoided whether the claims were true.  <\/p>\n<p>The *Journal* responded in its original reporting that Maxwell did not reply to an interview request sent to her in prison, citing a statement from her lawyer. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence in Texas for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-call-double-standard-on-greenes-committee-removals-point-to-omar-remarks\/\" title=\"Republicans Call Double Standard on Greene\u2019s Committee Removals, Point to Omar Remarks\">child sex trafficking<\/a>. trump seeks at least $10 billion in financial and reputational damages.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"4\">Donald Trump<\/a> filed an amended complaint in his defamation lawsuit against the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wall-street-journal\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1494\"><em>Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>  in an effort to prove that the reporters published a birthday letter Trump allegedly wrote to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/jeffrey-epstein\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"1860\">Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> with actual malice.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Obama-appointed judge Darrin P. Gayles of the Southern District of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/florida\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"159\">Florida<\/a> had <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4526313\/judge-tosses-trump-defamation-lawsuit-wall-street-journal-epstein-letter\/\">dismissed Trump\u2019s original complaint<\/a> in the defamation case, saying Trump had not properly demonstrated actual malice in his allegations. Trump is suing the outlet over its decision to publish the alleged crass birthday letter to Epstein from 2003, maintaining that he never wrote the letter, while the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> has defended its reporting.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4583505\/maga-recruits-300-million-war-chest-postpone-trump-lame-duck-era\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>New MAGA recruits and $300 million war chest postpone Trump\u2019s lame-duck era<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4584816\/bessent-to-host-white-house-press-briefing\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Bessent to host next White House press briefing as Leavitt rests on maternity leave<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4584638\/jill-biden-frightened-joe-biden-stroke-2024-debate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Jill Biden says she was \u2018frightened\u2019 that Joe Biden was \u2018having a stroke\u2019 during 2024 debate<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump re-filed the lawsuit on Wednesday ahead of Gayles\u2019s imposed deadline for a revised complaint. In this filing, Trump\u2019s lawyers include over four pages of points regarding why the president believes the reporters published the article containing the letter with actual malice.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump\u2019s lawyers wrote that several omitted details should prove actual malice in the eyes of the court, including the omission of how the defendants obtained a copy of the alleged birthday letter, if and how the contents of the letter were verified, and why the publication did not include an image of the letter in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/politics\/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/politics\/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796\">July 2025 article<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The outlet reported that the alleged birthday letter, detailed in its story, was part of an album of letters from friends and acquaintances that Epstein\u2019s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, compiled for his 50th birthday. The outlet wrote that the letter and album came before Epstein was first arrested on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sex-offender-fugitive-gang-member-arrests-continue-along-u-s-southwest-border\/\" title=\"Sex Offender, Fugitive, Gang Member Arrests Continue Along U.S. Southwest Border\">sex crime charges<\/a>. Trump\u2019s lawyers flagged in the amended complaint that the outlet did not include Maxwell\u2019s perspective.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn addition, Defendants\u2019 actual malice is demonstrated by their failure to either include what Maxwell told them in their interview or consultation with her, or the intentional refusal to interview Maxwell during Defendants\u2019 newsgathering process,\u201d Trump\u2019s lawyers wrote in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.flsd.693830\/gov.uscourts.flsd.693830.67.0.pdf\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/storage.courtlistener.com\/recap\/gov.uscourts.flsd.693830\/gov.uscourts.flsd.693830.67.0.pdf\">amended complaint<\/a>. \u201cDefendants\u2019 failure to disclose what Maxwell told them, or refusal to speak with Maxwell about the alleged letter, plausibly infers that Defendants purposefully avoided whether the Defamatory Statements were true.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the online version of the outlet\u2019s article, the <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em> wrote that \u201cMaxwell didn\u2019t respond to a letter requesting an interview sent to her in prison,\u201d and that her lawyer, Arthur Aidala, provided them with the following statement: \u201cAt this point, she is focused on her case before the Supreme Court of the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3820979\/wall-street-journal-trump-lawsuit-affront-free-speech-dismissal-request\/\">WALL STREET JOURNAL CALLS TRUMP LAWSUIT \u2018AFFRONT\u2019 TO FREE SPEECH IN DISMISSAL REQUEST<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maxwell is currently in federal prison in Texas serving a 20-year sentence for her child sex trafficking conviction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump, who has stated that he cut off ties with Epstein years before Epstein\u2019s initial arrest, is seeking no less than $10 billion in financial and reputational damages from the defendants. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump amends defamation suit against WSJ, alleging actual malice<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3976,"featured_media":2607760,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26142799868784.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[8621,80391,3634],"class_list":["post-2607759","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-publisher","tag-revised-lawsuit","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26142799868784.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607759","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3976"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2607759"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607759\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2607763,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607759\/revisions\/2607763"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2607760"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2607759"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2607759"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2607759"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}