Trump Seeks Urgent Testimony from Murdoch Amid Epstein Case Legal Battle

The lawsuit follows allegations in the Wall Street Journal regarding a letter purportedly written by Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, prompting the president to deny the authenticity of the claims.

In a controversial move, President Donald Trump has requested a US court to expedite the deposition of Rupert Murdoch, citing the media mogul's advanced age and recent health issues. Trump's legal representatives filed paperwork in a Miami federal court as part of a broader lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, which is owned by Murdoch's News Corp. The president's action comes in response to an article alleging that he penned a "bawdy" birthday letter to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.

Trump's lawyers contend that the journal, by publishing the article, aimed to tarnish his reputation. They assert that prior to the publication, Trump notified Murdoch that the letter in question was "fake." With Murdoch's age at 94 years and concerns about potential unavailability for trial, Trump's team is pressing for a swift deposition, highlighting recent significant health incidents involving the media titan.

The $10 billion lawsuit claims that the Wall Street Journal's reporting reflects a deliberate attempt to damage Trump's image. Dow Jones, publisher of the Journal, has firmly defended its reporting, indicating its readiness to contest the lawsuit.

Judge Darrin Gayles, overseeing the case, has prompted Murdoch to respond to the deposition request by August 4. The article in question purportedly contained explicit references interspersed with a mock conversation between Trump and Epstein. Following the story's release, Trump vehemently denied authorship of the note, insisting, "These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures."

The timing of the article has raised eyebrows, coinciding with intensifying calls for the Trump administration to disclose further details linked to Epstein. Trump has claimed that his previously friendly rapport with Epstein deteriorated in 2004, long before Epstein faced allegations of sex trafficking, and further insinuated that his name may have been improperly introduced into related documents by prominent figures including former Attorney General Merrick Garland and ex-FBI director James Comey, without providing supplementary evidence. Both Garland and Comey have yet to respond to these accusations.