Donald Trump has launched a $10 billion lawsuit against Dow Jones & Company and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, alleging defamation over a Wall Street Journal article that connected him to a note reportedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein.

The former U.S. president claims the story, which alleged he sent a risqué birthday greeting to Epstein in 2003, is entirely fabricated. According to the Wall Street Journal, the note included text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman and referenced a cryptic joke: “Enigmas never age,” concluding with, “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

Trump has vehemently denied authorship of the note, writing on social media:

“We’ve just filed a powerhouse lawsuit against everyone involved in the publication of this false, defamatory, and malicious article in the useless rag known as the Wall Street Journal.”

He also stated that both the Journal and Murdoch were warned in advance about legal consequences if the article was published.

A spokesperson for Dow Jones responded:

“We stand by the accuracy and integrity of our reporting and will vigorously defend against the lawsuit.”

The lawsuit comes during a broader resurgence of interest in the Epstein case. Following public and political pressure, the U.S. Department of Justice has asked a New York judge to unseal grand jury materials from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case, citing overwhelming public interest.

The request also includes related documents in the case against Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former associate, who was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking minors.

Though grand jury materials are typically confidential, a judge has the discretion to unseal them if transparency outweighs legal protections. However, it remains uncertain when or if the documents will be released—and whether they contain the revelations Trump supporters have demanded.

Trump’s lawsuit also arrives amid growing criticism from his political base. Some allies, including conservative officials like Chad Bianco—a Republican sheriff running for governor in California—expressed disappointment in the administration’s handling of Epstein-related disclosures.

“Millions of us feel betrayed,” Bianco told the BBC. “We’re being treated like we’re too dumb to understand what’s going on.”

Even Trump loyalists have turned their ire toward Attorney General Pam Bondi, who reversed course on making certain Epstein documents public. Calls for her resignation have gained momentum.

In response, bipartisan efforts in Congress are underway to pass a “discharge petition” that would compel the DOJ to release all related records. Uniting unlikely allies, including Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene and Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the petition underscores rare political consensus on the need for full transparency.

(Cre: BBC)