A U.S. court has dismissed a high-profile defamation lawsuit brought by President Donald Trump against The Wall Street Journal, its parent company News Corp, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch. The lawsuit, filed in a Florida federal court, sought at least $10 billion in damages over a July report claiming Trump’s name appeared in a 2003 birthday message for Jeffrey Epstein. According to the report, the message allegedly included a drawing, which Trump has denied, calling it “fake.” U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles ruled that Trump “came nowhere close” to proving that the publication acted with “actual malice”—a crucial legal requirement in U.S. defamation cases involving public figures. This standard requires showing that the publisher either knowingly reported false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth. Because this threshold was not met, the judge dismissed the case. However, the dismissal was issued “without prejudice,” meaning Trump is allowed to file a revised version of the lawsuit. He has been given until April 27 to submit an amended complaint. Trump’s legal team has indicated plans to continue pursuing the case, emphasizing efforts to hold media organizations accountable. Meanwhile, the report’s claims gained additional attention after U.S. lawmakers later released an image allegedly matching the description provided by the newspaper. The case highlights the high legal bar for defamation claims in the United States, especially for public figures challenging major news organizations.