WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that the Wall Street Journal and its owner, billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch, are seeking to settle a defamation lawsuit he filed earlier this month over an article linking him to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said the Journal had mistreated him and suggested Murdoch may be seeking a resolution. “I’ve been treated badly by the Wall Street Journal. I would have assumed that Rupert Murdoch controls it, but, you know, maybe does, maybe doesn’t,” Trump said. “They are talking to us about doing something, but we’ll see what happens. Maybe they would like us to drop that, so we’ll see… yeah, they’re having, they want to settle it.”
The lawsuit, filed on July 18, centers around a Wall Street Journal story that reported Trump’s name appeared on a birthday greeting to Epstein, accompanied by a sexually suggestive illustration and references to “shared secrets.” Trump has denied any such association, calling the greeting “fake” and alleging the article was published to damage his reputation.
“When I get treated unfairly, I do things about it,” Trump added.
In a related court filing on Monday, Trump asked a U.S. judge to order an expedited deposition of Murdoch in connection with the case. The Wall Street Journal has not yet responded to requests for comment.