Donald Trump just made good on his threat to sue The Wall Street Journal for reporting on his lewd birthday note to alleged sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The president filed a lawsuit in Miami court Friday against Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch, and two Wall Street Journal reporters, according to Reuters. The two journalists named in the lawsuit are likely Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, whose names appeared in the story byline.
The Journal reported Thursday that in 2003, Trump penned Epstein a “bawdy” note inside of a doodle of a voluptuous woman as part of a book of birthday notes for the financier. The president wrote that he had “certain things in common” with the child sex offender, and wished his “pal” that “everyday may be a wonderful secret.”
In a post on Truth Social Thursday night, Trump fumed over the report, threatening legal action.
“The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued,” he wrote.
Trump said he’d insisted the letter was fake, but that the publication had proceeded with the “false, malicious, and defamatory story anyway.”
“President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly,” Trump wrote.
By the next morning, Trump was ranting about getting Murdoch to testify in court. And within 24 hours of the story being published, a lawsuit had been filed. Talk about promises made and promises kept.
Trump’s lawsuit against the publication isn’t the least bit surprising—he has a tendency to sue any outlet that makes him look bad.
Paramount recently agreed to a $16 million settlement with Trump over the editing of CBS’s 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, despite CBS calling the suit “completely without merit.” The settlement summoned criticism that Paramount was attempting to ease its sale to Skydance Media, which will require approval from the Trump administration. On Friday, there was rampant speculation that openly criticizing the deal had cost Stephen Colbert his late night gig.
Great Job Edith Olmsted & the Team @ The New Republic Source link for sharing this story.
