In court filings, Trump's lawyers requested that the court mandate a deposition of media mogul Rupert Murdoch within 15 days. The filing was made in connection with Trump's ongoing lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, which is owned by Murdoch's News Corp. The lawsuit stems from an article claiming Trump wrote a "bawdy" letter in 2003 to mark serial offender Jeffrey Epstein's birthday, which Trump insists is a fabrication.
Trump's legal representatives pointed to Murdoch's age—94 years—and reported health issues, arguing that these factors might hinder his availability for a necessary in-person testimony later during the trial. "These factors weigh heavily in determining that Murdoch would be unavailable for in-person testimony at trial," Trump's lawyers stated in their Miami federal court submission.
The lawsuit, seeking $10 billion in damages, alleges that the Wall Street Journal aimed to tarnish Trump's reputation with its report. The newspaper's publisher, Dow Jones, has defended the validity of its reporting and expressed its readiness to contest the lawsuit in court.
In regards to the letter cited by the Journal, it purportedly featured typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman and included a satirical exchange meant to mimic a conversation between Trump and Epstein. The article highlighted an alleged humorous remark stating that "enigmas never age" and concluded with a birthday wish that read: "A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Following the publication of the article on July 17, Trump took to social media to assert that the words attributed to him were not his and that his style of communication does not involve such content. He also emphasized that he does not draw pictures. The release of the article has sparked additional inquiries into Trump's previous association with Epstein, which he claims turned sour in 2004, prior to Epstein’s infamous arrest on sex trafficking charges.
Adding a layer of complexity, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s name appeared among hundreds listed in documents from the Justice Department related to Epstein. In a recent conference with the press, Trump speculated that his name may have been introduced into the Epstein files by former Attorney General Merrick Garland or ex-FBI Director James Comey, although he provided no substantive evidence for his claims. Neither Garland nor Comey has yet responded to Trump's accusations.
Trump's legal representatives pointed to Murdoch's age—94 years—and reported health issues, arguing that these factors might hinder his availability for a necessary in-person testimony later during the trial. "These factors weigh heavily in determining that Murdoch would be unavailable for in-person testimony at trial," Trump's lawyers stated in their Miami federal court submission.
The lawsuit, seeking $10 billion in damages, alleges that the Wall Street Journal aimed to tarnish Trump's reputation with its report. The newspaper's publisher, Dow Jones, has defended the validity of its reporting and expressed its readiness to contest the lawsuit in court.
In regards to the letter cited by the Journal, it purportedly featured typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman and included a satirical exchange meant to mimic a conversation between Trump and Epstein. The article highlighted an alleged humorous remark stating that "enigmas never age" and concluded with a birthday wish that read: "A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Following the publication of the article on July 17, Trump took to social media to assert that the words attributed to him were not his and that his style of communication does not involve such content. He also emphasized that he does not draw pictures. The release of the article has sparked additional inquiries into Trump's previous association with Epstein, which he claims turned sour in 2004, prior to Epstein’s infamous arrest on sex trafficking charges.
Adding a layer of complexity, the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump’s name appeared among hundreds listed in documents from the Justice Department related to Epstein. In a recent conference with the press, Trump speculated that his name may have been introduced into the Epstein files by former Attorney General Merrick Garland or ex-FBI Director James Comey, although he provided no substantive evidence for his claims. Neither Garland nor Comey has yet responded to Trump's accusations.
