Trump launches 'POWERHOUSE lawsuit' against Rupert Murdoch and WSJ, sues for $10 billion over Epstein letter report

US President Donald Trump on Friday (Jul 18) filed a staggering $10 billion lawsuit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch and The Wall Street Journal, accusing them of defamation over a bombshell report linking him to disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker of underage girls, Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit, lodged Friday in a Miami federal court, names not just Murdoch and his media empire News Corp., but also two WSJ reporters, and claims the story is entirely fabricated, malicious, and timed to inflict maximum political damage.

Trump's 'POWERHOUSE' lawsuit

In a post on Truth Social late on Friday, the 79-year-old politician called the Wall Street Journal a “rag” and said, “We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS 'article' in the useless 'rag' that is, The Wall Street Journal."

Referring to himself as “your favourite president” he said that the lawsuit was filed not only on his behalf “but also in order to continue standing up for ALL Americans who will no longer tolerate the abusive wrongdoings of the Fake News Media. I hope Rupert and his 'friends' are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case.”

Trump's lawsuit categorically denies the letter's existence. It accuses the Journal of peddling a false story already viewed by hundreds of millions, and insists the timing of the article shows "malicious intent." As per reports, it states, "Given the timing of the Defendants' article, which shows their malicious intent behind it, the overwhelming financial and reputational harm suffered by President Trump will continue to multiply".

Trump and Epstein were once seen together at parties in the 1990s and early 2000s, but there has never been evidence publicly linking Trump to Epstein's alleged crimes. The issue remains radioactive for Trump, especially among his far-right MAGA base, many of whom believe there's a powerful international elite cabal of paedophiles tied to Epstein's sex trafficking network.