Donald Trump has launched a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, accusing the newspaper of fabricating claims tying him to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The lawsuit, filed on Saturday, comes after the Journal published allegations that Trump had written an obscene letter to Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.

The article sparked a fierce reaction from Trump, who blasted the report as "malicious, defamatory, and totally FAKE NEWS." On his platform Truth Social, he claimed the story was a deliberate fabrication aimed at tarnishing his reputation.

According to the complaint, Trump alleges that Rupert Murdoch, The Wall Street Journal’s owner, and two of its journalists invented the story to present him “in a false and misleading light.” The lawsuit demands at least $10 billion in damages.

“We have full confidence in the accuracy of our reporting and will vigorously defend ourselves,” said a spokesperson for Dow Jones, the paper’s parent company.

The controversy stems from reports that Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s partner, had solicited messages from friends for a birthday guestbook. The Journal claims Trump submitted a letter featuring suggestive imagery and a cryptic message. The letter, not published in full, allegedly read: "Happy Birthday — may every day be another wonderful secret."

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has moved to authorize the release of court documents related to Epstein’s 2019 indictment for sex trafficking of minors, an order given directly by President Trump’s administration. Epstein died in custody before trial, fueling conspiracy theories about his death.

Trump, who had distanced himself from Epstein since the mid-2000s, faces ongoing pressure from segments of his MAGA base calling for transparency over Epstein’s supposed "secret client list" — claims dismissed by both the FBI and Justice Department.