A US federal judge has dismissed former President Donald Trump's defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) concerning a letter allegedly written by Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit, filed in July 2025 in Miami, sought a staggering $20 billion in damages from the Journal's publisher, Dow Jones, and its parent company, News Corp, as well as media mogul Rupert Murdoch and two reporters involved in the story. The WSJ reported that Trump's name appeared on a birthday letter included in a 2003 album compiled by Epstein's associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, for Epstein's 50th birthday. The letter allegedly included a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman and concluded with the words, 'Happy Birthday, and may every day be another wonderful secret.' Trump has denied writing the letter, labeling it as fake. In its defense, the WSJ argued that the lawsuit was an attempt to suppress journalistic freedom and that the claims were substantiated by documents released by Congress. Following the article's publication, Epstein's estate provided a copy of the birthday book, which matched the WSJ's description. Trump's history of filing lawsuits against media outlets raises concerns about press freedom, as he has not succeeded in these legal battles but has secured settlements from other media companies. The dismissal of this case continues this trend.