In a developing legal battle, Donald Trump seeks to expedite Rupert Murdoch's testimony in his lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, stemming from a controversial article linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump Pushes for Urgent Murdoch Testimony in Epstein Lawsuit
Trump Pushes for Urgent Murdoch Testimony in Epstein Lawsuit
Trump's legal team requests a rapid deposition of Rupert Murdoch, citing health concerns related to the media baron's age.
Lawyers representing former President Donald Trump have requested a court order for Rupert Murdoch to provide a deposition within the next 15 days, highlighting Murdoch's advanced age and recent health issues as significant factors. Trump has initiated a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, owned by Murdoch’s News Corp, over an article that claimed he sent a "bawdy" letter celebrating sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's birthday in 2003.
In their court filing, Trump's attorneys emphasized that he had alerted Murdoch before the publication of the article that the letter was a fabrication. They argued for the urgency of Murdoch's deposition, noting that at 94, he has experienced serious health scares that could prevent him from appearing for testimony if the case progresses to trial.
The lawsuit, which seeks $10 billion, alleges that the Wall Street Journal aimed to damage Trump's reputation through the article. Meanwhile, Dow Jones, the publisher of the Journal, has defended its reporting and signaled readiness to contest Trump's claims in court. U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles overseeing the case has directed Murdoch to respond to the deposition request by August 4.
The article in question reportedly described a letter attributed to Trump, featuring typewritten text within a drawing of a naked woman, purportedly involving a fictional dialogue between Trump and Epstein. The reported content included a phrase suggesting, "enigmas never age," and concluded with a birthday message.
After the piece's release, Trump publicly denied authorship of the letter, stating, "These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures." The timing of the article aligns with rising demands on the Trump administration to bring forth more information regarding Epstein.
Trump and Epstein maintained a known friendship for several years, though Trump claimed their relationship deteriorated around 2004, years before Epstein's arrest on sex trafficking allegations. Epstein's life ended in 2019 while he was awaiting trial on related charges.
In addition to the birthday note, the Wall Street Journal suggested that Trump was mentioned among various individuals identified in Justice Department files concerning Epstein. Trump speculated that his name might have been intentionally included in these files by officials such as former Attorney General Merrick Garland or former FBI Director James Comey, though he provided no evidence to support this assertion. Responses from Garland and Comey regarding Trump's claims have yet to be released.
