Former President Donald Trump has filed a $10 billion libel lawsuit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch. This announcement follows a recent Wall Street Journal article that chronicled Trump’s history with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Marking the end of summer, the first lawsuit was filed in Florida. It focuses on Murdoch, News Corp, CEO Robert Thomson, Dow Jones & Co. and the two reporters who wrote that article. Just like the last big climate case, U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles will hear the case. He’s the same judge who recently presided over a breach-of-contract smackdown between Trump and his onetime personal lawyer, Michael Cohen.
The original article Trump was reacting to claimed that the inimitable Donald sent Epstein a “bawdy” birthday missive in 2003. Trump has vigorously denied that the letter was written by him. Now, he says he’s suing anyone who contributed to the publication of that article. There’s some speculation that Trump will actually go through with the case against Murdoch—a belief held by his former lawyer and close friend, Michael Cohen. Cohen stated, “I predict Murdoch, et al will settle this matter in the same manner that [ABC] and [CBS] did.”
Until that point, Trump had successfully sued ABC and CBS’s parent company and collected hundreds of millions dollars in settlements. He voluntarily dismissed his original $500 million suit against Cohen. This came less than a week after Judge Gayles ordered that deposition to go forward in that case. Such a pattern does not bode well for Trump’s dedication to follow this latest lawsuit to its conclusion.
Judge Gayles had gotten the case by random allotment just that Monday. His previous involvement with a lawsuit filed by Trump against Cohen adds an additional layer of interest to the proceedings. The judge’s previous experience with Trump’s legal battles may shape how he handles this new case.
Cohen’s sentiments regarding the potential outcome of Trump’s lawsuit echo a common belief among legal experts. He noted, “Unlike the lawsuit against me, this action has real consequences: such as advertisers pulling away from the newspaper or journalists being denied access to the White House.” This damages periodization strongly highlights the salutary effects of this lawsuit on Trump’s public credibility and Murdoch’s media monopoly.
Lanny Davis, Cohen’s former attorney, expressed skepticism about the longevity of Trump’s commitment to the lawsuit against Murdoch. He floated the idea that Trump would drop his case once the depositions are set. He continued, “Trump has accomplished the opposite of what his own base and critics should expect from a leader in times of crisis. Davis suggested, “If he’s smart, even if he has nothing to hide,” making a tactical decision to withdraw might be the smartest move.
Trump’s ties to Epstein have come under criticism and investigation in recent years. The two men remained friends for several decades, until their much-reported break-up before Epstein’s 2019 arrest. Indeed, Trump has praised Epstein’s character publicly in the past. As he put it, “He is great fun to be around,” and focusing on their mutual attraction to women, “It is even said that he enjoys the company of beautiful women as much as I do—the vast majority of them younger.”
Despite these past connections, Trump’s current legal strategy appears to be focused on discrediting the Journal’s claims. He sounded optimistic about these newly planned court proceedings to come, adding that Murdoch would be under great pressure. He continued, “I hope Rupert and his new ‘friends’ are prepared for the several dozen hours of depositions ahead of them. They will all be deposed in great detail in this case.