Trump calls Epstein letter report ‘fake,’ orders attorney general to move court on unsealing his case

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he would take legal action against the Wall Street Journal and its owner over a new report about his alleged connection to Jeffrey Epstein. The announcement came alongside his directive to Attorney General Pam Bondi to begin unsealing grand jury testimony in Epstein’s criminal case.

The Wall Street Journal published a report claiming Trump had sent an inappropriate birthday letter to Epstein. The report quickly drew strong reactions from the White House, with Vice President JD Vance and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly denouncing it.

According to Politico, Trump stated he had personally warned the Journal’s owner, Rupert Murdoch, and its editor in chief, Emma Tucker, that the letter was “fake,” describing the story as “false, malicious, and defamatory.” He confirmed that both he and Leavitt had informed Tucker about the fake nature of the story, but claimed she “didn’t want to hear that”—though skeptics note that even Trump’s former lawyer, who represented both him and Epstein, claims Epstein had ‘no information’ on Trump, making social media more suspicious.

Legal challenges and recent settlements show a pattern of media disputes

Trump’s threat to sue comes after recent legal victories against other media outlets. He secured a $15 million settlement with ABC News in December and a $16 million settlement with Paramount, CBS News’ parent company, earlier this month. He has also been involved in a dispute with the Associated Press over access to the Oval Office.

The push to unseal grand jury transcripts faces significant hurdles. Grand jury secrecy rules are strictly enforced, and courts are typically reluctant to lift them. This is especially true in the Epstein case, where most victims and witnesses are still alive, and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell continues to appeal her conviction.

Attorney General Bondi responded quickly to Trump’s directive, stating they would move to unseal the grand jury transcripts the following day. However, experts note that even if released, these transcripts would represent only a portion of the evidence collected in the Epstein investigation.

The situation has created unusual alignments, with some of Trump’s strongest supporters, including Speaker Mike Johnson, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Laura Loomer, calling for greater transparency in the Epstein case, even Lara Trump has assured their swift release as Trump and Republicans rush to bury the Epstein files. This comes after the Department of Justice and FBI recently released a memo concluding there was no evidence that Epstein was murdered in his jail cell or that a rumored “client list” existed.