Judge hints at tossing Trump's WSJ defamation suit once more

A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday appeared

A federal judge in Florida on Wednesday appeared inclined to reject Donald Trump's latest attempt to revive his $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, casting doubt on arguments put forward by the former president's legal team.

The lawsuit, which also names News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch as a defendant, stems from a July 2025 Journal article about a letter reportedly written by Trump that appeared in a birthday book for Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier. The article described the letter as "bawdy," but Trump has denied writing or signing it, and his lawyers contend the publication proceeded despite being alerted to its alleged inaccuracy.

During Wednesday's hearing, the judge, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, expressed skepticism toward the arguments made by Trump's attorneys, suggesting the case may not withstand a motion to dismiss. The judge's remarks indicated that the legal bar for proving actual malice—a key requirement in defamation cases involving public figures—may not have been met.

The lawsuit has already faced one dismissal, and

The lawsuit has already faced one dismissal, and Trump's team is seeking to keep it alive by arguing that the Journal's reporting was reckless and knowingly false. However, the judge's questioning suggested that the evidence presented so far may not support that claim, leaving the case's future uncertain.

Legal analysts note that this development could mark another setback for Trump's efforts to hold media outlets accountable for coverage he deems damaging. A final ruling on the motion to dismiss is expected in the coming weeks, which will determine whether the case proceeds to discovery or is thrown out entirely.