US President Donald Trump is seeking a court order in Florida to compel media tycoon Rupert Murdoch to provide testimony in relation to his defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal. Citing Murdoch’s advanced age of 94 and recent health issues, Trump has requested that the deposition take place within 15 days.
The lawsuit, filed on July 18 in the US District Court for southern Florida, stems from an article that linked Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, the financier alleged to have trafficked minors before his death in jail in 2019. Trump’s complaint includes claims surrounding a sexually suggestive letter attributed to him that appeared in a 2003 album made for Epstein’s birthday.
In his court motion, Trump highlighted Murdoch’s age and noted that he is believed to be residing in New York, suggesting that these factors could hinder Murdoch’s ability to testify in person at trial. The president has levelled a staggering $15.3 billion defamation claim against both Murdoch and the paper over the reporting, maintaining that he had no involvement in the contents of the letter discussed.
This case marks an unprecedented instance of a sitting president pursuing a defamation lawsuit, raising questions about historical precedents for such actions. Trump’s intent to challenge the story has faced pushback, with The Wall Street Journal pledging to contest the claims.
Legal expert Floyd Abrams remarked that while a president has the right to pursue a libel case, it might appear as an attempt to stifle uncomfortable discourse rather than a legitimate use of libel law. A representative from Murdoch’s News Corp did not respond to requests for comment, although Murdoch’s counsel has indicated they would resist Trump’s deposition demand.