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NEW YORK: US President Donald Trump on Monday (Jul 28) asked a federal court to quickly depose media mogul Rupert Murdoch in his defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, following the newspaper’s report that Trump’s name appeared on a 2003 birthday greeting for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump filed the suit on Jul 18, a day after the Journal published the article alleging that a letter from Trump to Epstein included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to “secrets” they shared. Trump called the letter a fabrication and accused the Journal and its parent companies, including Murdoch, of attempting to damage his reputation.
In a filing to the US District Court in Miami, Trump’s lawyers claimed the president personally informed Murdoch that the letter was fake before the article was published. Murdoch, they said, told Trump he would “take care of it”.
“Murdoch’s direct involvement further underscores Defendants’ actual malice,” Trump’s legal team wrote, referring to the legal threshold required to prove defamation against a public figure.
They asked Judge Darrin Gayles to compel Murdoch, 94, to testify within 15 days. Gayles ordered Murdoch to respond by Aug 4.
Dow Jones, which publishes the Wall Street Journal, declined to comment. The publisher has said it stands by its reporting and will “vigorously defend” against the lawsuit. Neither Dow Jones owner News Corp nor a spokesperson for Murdoch responded to requests for comment.
The Journal article appeared amid intensifying criticism of Trump’s administration from both conservative allies and congressional Democrats, who have accused the Justice Department of withholding documents tied to Epstein’s case. Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Trump and Epstein were previously friends, though Trump has since described a falling out.
Legal experts say Trump faces steep odds in the case. To prevail, he must prove not only that the article was false, but also that the Journal knew or should have known it was false, a legal standard known as “actual malice”. Trump is seeking US$10 billion in damages.
TRUMP SAYS HE TURNED DOWN EPSTEIN ISLAND INVITE
Trump said on Monday he "never had the privilege" of visiting Epstein's island and turned down an invitation from the disgraced financier, calling it a moment of "very good judgment".
"In one of my very good moments, I turned it down," he told reporters during a visit to Scotland.
The private island in the US Virgin Islands has been alleged by prosecutors to have been a hub for sex trafficking involving underage victims.
Trump, who socialised with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s, said he ended the relationship after Epstein tried to hire staff from Trump’s own team.
"He did it again. And I threw him out of the place persona non grata," Trump said.
The president dismissed the renewed scrutiny over his ties to Epstein as politically motivated and reiterated his belief that the entire story was a "hoax".
"It's a hoax that's been built up way beyond proportion," Trump said, adding that Democrats would have used any real evidence against him in previous elections if it existed.
Flight logs show Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least six times, but none to the island. He has denied ever visiting the property and has not been accused of wrongdoing.
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