US President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion lawsuit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch, accusing him of defamation after the Wall Street Journal published a story linking Trump to a dicey birthday letter allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
Soon after the lawsuit was announced, CNN aired several old clips of Trump openly praising Murdoch.
The two powerful figures have had a complex relationship.
At one point, Trump called Murdoch “an amazing guy” and said he was “in a class by himself.”
The lawsuit follows the Wall Street Journal's report that a birthday album made for Epstein’s 50th birthday contained a letter signed “Donald” and included a sketch of a naked woman. The Journal claims the note was among many letters collected by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s birthday.
Trump denied the story and warned Murdoch against publishing it. “I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn't print this Fake Story,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “But he did, and now I'm going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper.”
He also wrote, “President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr Murdoch, shortly.”
The row adds a new chapter to the long history between Trump and Murdoch. The duo have appeared close at times, but the relationship has often turned tense, especially when Murdoch’s media empire has published reports unfavourable to Trump.
Back during his 2016 campaign, Murdoch criticised Trump after he mocked Senator John McCain, posting, “When is Donald Trump going to stop embarrassing his friends, let alone the whole country?”
Still, Murdoch later encouraged Republicans to support Trump if he became the nominee. During Trump’s first term, the two reportedly spoke nearly every day, with Murdoch seen as an influential adviser.
The relationship turned sour after the 2020 election. Murdoch privately criticised Trump’s claims of election fraud, calling them “a huge disservice to the country. Pretty much a crime.” In return, Trump blasted Murdoch and accused him of backing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as a “Murdoch pick.”
In August 2023, Trump said, “Fox News and the Wall Street Journal fight me because Murdoch is a globalist. And I am America First," according to Axios.
Despite tensions, Trump hosted Murdoch in the Oval Office earlier this year and was seen with him at a football match just days before the WSJ story was published. In the past, Trump has called Murdoch “legendary” and “an amazing businessman.”
The lawsuit and media storm come as Trump faces renewed pressure from both supporters and critics over how he’s handled the Epstein files.
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