Trump revises lawsuit over Epstein birthday letter publication

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]President Donald Trump has filed an amended complaint in his defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal arguing the outlet acted actual malice when it published a birthday letter he allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein.

[00:00:13]Trump denies ever writing the 2003 letter while the journal stands by its reporting. The revised filing comes after a federal judge dismissed Trump's original complaint saying it failed to properly establish actual malice.

[00:00:26]Trump's legal team argues the journal omitted key details including how it obtained the alleged letter, whether the contents were verified, and why no image of the document was published. The lawsuit also points to the journal's handling of Ghislaine Maxwell who allegedly compiled the birthday album for Epstein. Trump's lawyers claim the outlet either failed to interview Maxwell or withheld what she told reporters suggesting the publication ignored evidence that could challenge the story's accuracy. Trump is seeking at least $10 billion in damages.