Largely believed to be associated with “right-leaning news coverage,” Murdoch’s media companies have been occasionally criticised by Trump’s supporters for “right-wing bias and misleading coverage to support his own business interests”
US President Donald Trump is seeking $10 billion in damages in a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its parent company, owner Rupert Murdoch and two reporters claiming “libel” and “slander” for publishing an article alleging that he wrote a lewd letter to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday. Trump is accusing Dow Jones & Company, Murduch, News Corporation Chief Executive Robert Thomson and reporters Khadeeja Safdar and Joseph Palazzolo of “defamation” and causing him “overwhelming” financial and reputational harm.
Trump confirmed the lawsuit, saying he had sued WSJ for publishing “FAKE NEWS”.
“We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS ‘article’ in the useless ‘rag’ that is, The Wall Street Journal,” he said on his social media Truth Social.
“I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case,” Trump said
Who is Murdoch
Often in news for personal relationships, Murdoch is in headlines again.
The Australian-American business magnate, investor, and media mogul, is known for creating one of the largest media empires in the world.
Murdoch’s company News Corp owns hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world. Apart from WSJ, they include some of the top news channels and media houses like Fox News, Sky News Australia, New York Post and The Sun
Largely believed to be associated with “right-leaning news coverage,” Murdoch’s media companies have been occasionally criticised by Trump’s supporters for “right-wing bias and misleading coverage to support his own business interests”
This is not the first time Trump has had issues with Murdoch.
However, the Jefferey Epstein case comes at a time when the new US President is facing a whole lot of criticism over policy matters.
Interestingly, Murdoch supported Trump and his party through the news coverage broadcast in his media empire, including on Fox News.
The controversy
The WSJ report claims that Trump allegedly sent a sexually explicit birthday note to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
Basically, the WSJ reviewed the leather-bound album put together for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday, as part of which is this alleged letter by Trump featuring the drawing of a naked woman, thereby putting its contents under renewed scrutiny amid recent US justice Department investigations into Jeffery Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who were convicted for operating a decades-long sex trafficking ring that exploited underage girls through manipulation, abuse, and a network of powerful connections.
Who is Jeffery Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein is a disgraced financier and convicted sex offender.
The “Epstein files” refer to thousands of documents, videos and investigative materials gathered over the years in connection with Epstein and his associates.
Many documents are still sealed or heavily redacted.
