Last summer, the Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump was among the friends who had contributed letters for a “birthday book,” celebrating the 50th birthday of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
“We have certain things in common, Jeffrey,” the reported letter from Trump stated, over a drawing of a woman’s figure, with Trump’s signature in the place where pubic hair would be.
A copy of Epstein’s 2003 birthday book, which Trump said doesn’t exist, has been handed over to Congress by the Epstein estate.
Here’s the famous letter. I’m not sure about the pubic hair part, I wouldn’t have characterized it like that. pic.twitter.com/Js2vdBq1vA
— Richard Hanania (@RichardHanania) September 8, 2025
After the Journal story was published, Trump responded by denying that the page in the book attributed to him was real, and by suing the newspaper and the reporters involved for $10 billion. And while the original report by the newspaper had only described the scrapbook, Epstein’s estate later agreed to release the book itself, which was exactly as the Journal story described it.
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Now, Trump’s lawsuit has been dealt a legal blow.
According to Reuters, the lawsuit has, for now, been dismissed.
Breaking: A federal judge has dismissed President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its reporting on a lewd birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name. I’m going live on CNN TV now with details… https://t.co/79SimVLqrV
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 13, 2026
“A U.S. judge dismissed on Monday Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over an article asserting the U.S. president’s name was on a 2003 birthday greeting for the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, but said Trump could re-file the case,” the report said. U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles found that the lawsuit did not meet the “actual malice” standard required for a defamation suit.
” That means they must prove not only that a public statement about them was false but also that the media outlet or person who made the statement knew or should have known that it was false,” Reuters said. In other words, the letter from Trump would have to be false, and the newspaper would have to know it was false, even though every indication seems to be that it’s not false.
Trump has until April 27 to refile the lawsuit.
Following Melania Trump’s shocking speech last week, it’s another example of the Epstein story re-entering the news, even as it appeared weeks ago to have lost steam.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
