Donald Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch and the publishers of the Wall Street Journal over a report alleging he sent Jeffrey Epstein a lewd birthday card.
The lawsuit, filed in Miami on Friday, names Dow Jones, News Corp, two Journal reporters, and Murdoch himself, accusing them of libel and slander over the article published this week.
According to the Journal, Mr Trump allegedly sent Epstein a note in 2003 saying the two had "certain things in common." The card reportedly featured a drawing of a nude woman in permanent marker, with Mr Trump’s signature appearing to mimic pubic hair. It ended with a cryptic message: "A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret."
“Enigmas never age,” he is said to have written elsewhere on the card.
The US president has denied sending the note, calling the story false and defamatory. He claimed he personally called Mr Murdoch to try and have the piece spiked. “I called Rupert myself, and he said he’d take care of it, but obviously did not have the power to do so,” Mr Trump said.
A spokesperson for Dow Jones stated: “We have full confidence in the rigour and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
The story has sparked significant political fallout. Vice-President JD Vance defended Mr Trump, posting on X: “Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bulls---. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it.”
Mr Trump appeared publicly at a bill signing on Friday afternoon, flanked by members of his administration including Mr Vance. That same evening, US Attorney General Pam Bondi moved to unseal grand jury transcripts from Epstein’s 2019 sex trafficking case, following Mr Trump’s call to release any "pertinent" testimony.
“Produce any and all pertinent grand jury testimony, subject to court approval,” Mr Trump said on Friday. The move is unlikely to satisfy critics, as grand jury transcripts are typically sealed and any release could take months of legal wrangling. The documents are also believed to represent only a small fraction of government-held material.
Mr Trump has dismissed calls to release the full so-called "Epstein files" as a political hoax. "If there was a smoking gun on Epstein, why didn’t the Democrats use it while in office? Because they had nothing," he wrote on Truth Social.
Former allies, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, have joined growing bipartisan calls for full transparency. Republican congressman Thomas Massie and Democrat Ro Khanna have partnered on a motion to force the government to release all Epstein-related material. "Folks, keep the pressure on, it’s working," Mr Massie wrote. "But we want all the files."
Republicans are reportedly worried about backlash from constituents and are pushing leaders to cut the current session short to avoid the vote.
One congressional aide warned: "When you don’t release information and do this cover-up, you essentially fuel conspiracy theories and misinformation."
The FBI and Justice Department recently concluded a review of thousands of documents and videos from Epstein’s case and found no reason to release further materials. It is unclear whether the alleged birthday card, reportedly reviewed by prosecutors, was part of that assessment.
Mr Trump had known Epstein since the 1980s and once called him a "terrific guy" who "likes beautiful women as much as I do." The two later fell out over a real estate dispute.
A government memo recently stated that Epstein maintained no "client list" and reiterated that he died by suicide in prison in 2019.
The lack of new disclosures has led Trump supporters to turn on Pam Bondi, who had previously claimed to have a list of Epstein’s powerful associates. Right-wing activist Laura Loomer has since dubbed her "Scam Blondi."
Ms Bondi defended her position at a recent cabinet meeting, arguing most of the unreleased material amounted to child pornography.
Mr Trump has also denied creating any graphic artwork, despite a history of sketches sold at charity auctions. In his 2010 book Trump Never Give Up, he wrote: “Each year I donate an autographed doodle to the Doodle for Hunger auction at Tavern on the Green,” adding, “art may not be my strong point.”
In the run-up to his UK state visit in September, ads have appeared on London bus stops showing an old photo of Mr Trump and Epstein standing side by side.
