Judge ends Trump’s attempts to sue WSJ over Epstein reporting

A US District Court judge in Florida has dismissed Donald Trump's second attempt to sue the Wall Street Journal over its reporting on his connections to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, ending his pursuit of a defamation lawsuit. Judge Darrin P. Gayles ruled that Trump again failed to prove actual malice, a necessary condition for a public figure to prevail in a defamation claim.

The judge praised the Journal's thorough investigation and reporters' efforts to seek comment from Trump and others before publishing the article. Gayles dismissed Trump's amended complaint as grasping for reasons to attack the investigation. Trump's legal team argued that the story should have been dropped after he denied involvement with Epstein, but the judge emphasized that actual malice does not equate to merely denying involvement. This dismissal with prejudice means Trump cannot bring the case before the court again.