Here’s the latest I can share based on recent coverage:
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A judge dismissed President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) related to a Epstein–birthday-letter story, ruling that the complaint did not adequately show actual malice. The court gave Trump a window to amend and refile by a stated deadline (the order indicated an updated complaint could be filed by about April 27, 2026). This is the core development shaping what happens next in the WSJ case.[7][8]
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Trump indicated on social media that the dismissal is not a termination but a “suggested re-filing,” and that he intends to refile an updated lawsuit in accordance with the judge’s guidance and deadline. Proponents of Trump’s position have argued the Journal and other defendants trafficked in “Fake News,” while WSJ’s publisher emphasized the journal’s reliability and accuracy in reporting.[1][3][5]
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Related coverage notes that earlier reports flagged hurdles around whether the filing complied with applicable procedural rules and whether the plaintiff could sufficiently plead malice or falsity to meet defamation standards; the April 2026 ruling clarified these points and set the path for a potential amended complaint.[8][7]
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There has also been contemporaneous media commentary on the ongoing dispute, including summaries from Reuters, NBC Montana, The Guardian, and the Inquirer, which generally align on the key outcome: dismissal for lack of malice pleading and a chance to refile.[2][3][7][8]
If you’d like, I can:
- Pull the most recent official court filing or docket entry to confirm the exact deadline and any conditions for refilement.
- Summarize the judge’s specific findings about what constitutes “actual malice” in this context.
- Create a concise timeline of events and next steps, with links to primary sources.
Would you like me to fetch the latest official court documents or summarize the timelines with citations?