The lawsuit stemmed from a July 17, 2025, article in The Wall Street Journal describing a letter that reportedly bore Trump’s name and was included in a 2003 album compiled for Epstein’s 50th birthday. The letter, collected by disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, included typed text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a woman and ended with Trump’s signature. Trump denied writing the letter and called the story “false, malicious, and defamatory.”

Gayles rejected Trump’s arguments that the Journal failed to adequately investigate the letter or that it omitted key details. He noted that the newspaper had conducted a “thoughtful and detailed investigation” and that accepting Trump’s argument would allow public figures to block unfavorable reporting, which “runs afoul of the First Amendment.” The judge also said the article did not ignore Trump’s denial but instead informed readers that the president had “decried the Letter as a fake and denied writing it.”

A spokesman for Trump’s legal team confirmed to CNBC that the president plans to appeal the ruling. “President Trump will continue to press forward in his powerhouse lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and all of the other defendants,” the statement said. “The President will continue to hold those who mislead the American People with Fake News and smears accountable for their actions.”

A spokesperson for Dow Jones & Co., the publisher of The Wall Street Journal, said in a statement to CNBC, “We’re pleased with the court’s decision.” The ruling cited the Supreme Court’s 1964 decision in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, which requires public figures to prove that a media outlet knowingly published something false or showed reckless disregard for the truth. Gayles said Trump had “not plausibly alleged that the Defendants published the Article with actual malice.”

Gayles had previously dismissed Trump’s original lawsuit in April 2026, allowing the president to refile with an amended complaint. The updated lawsuit included new claims, such as that Murdoch told Trump “I will handle it” during a phone call about the article. However, the judge again found these claims insufficient to establish malice.