Trump wants Rupert Murdoch, 94, to answer questions ASAP because of his age in suit over WSJ Epstein report
Trump swiftly filed a $10 billion defamation suit against the publication, its owner Murdoch, the paper's parent company Dow Jones, and the two journalists who are bylined on the report, among others.
The leather-bound book for Epstein's 50th birthday was compiled in 2003 by the late sex offender's accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The WSJ reported it contained a 'bawdy' drawing and a note from Trump to Epstein, which the president denies.
Lawyers for Trump argued in a motion that Murdoch should be deposed within 15 days because of 'multiple health issues.'
'First, Murdoch is 94 years old, has suffered from multiple health issues throughout his life, is believed to have suffered recent significant health scares, and is presumed to live in New York, New York,' the motion read. 'Taken together, these factors weigh heavily in determining that Murdoch would be unavailable for in-person testimony at trial.'
'Thus, it is presumable, both because of his age and health and/or his distance from this Court, that Murdoch will be unavailable for trial,' the filing states.
U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles in Miami has ordered Murdoch to respond to the request by August 4, Reuters news agency first reported.
The motion lists several reported instances of Murdoch's ill health, including one about how the mogul ' collapsed and fainted at breakfast with a journalist' on February 14 this year.
'In 2022, he was hospitalized for a serious case of COVID-19,' the document continued. 'Within the last five years, Murdoch has suffered a broken back, seizures, two bouts of pneumonia, atrial fibrillation, and a torn Achilles tendon.'
In the days before the WSJ published its first bombshell report, Trump and his team desperately tried to get Murdoch and his paper to kill the story.
Trump 'reached out to, and spoke directly with, Murdoch and advised him that the letter referenced in the Article was fake,' the court filing states. 'Murdoch advised President Trump that 'he would take care of it.''
Lawyers referenced Trump's Truth Social post where he complained that Murdoch apparently 'did not have the power' to stop the story from being published.
Behind the scenes, Murdoch himself has reportedly indicated that he has no plans to back down anytime soon.
'I'm 94 years old and I will not be intimidated,' Murdoch said, according to the Washington Post, citing three people familiar with the Fox News owner's private conversations.
The WSJ dropped a second report last week that Trump was briefed that his name appeared in the Epstein files– and Attorney General Pam Bondi was the one who allegedly told him.
'This is another fake news story, just like the previous story by the Wall Street Journal,' White House communications director Steven Cheung responded last week.
A mention in the file does not mean there was wrongdoing.
Legal experts say Trump faces an uphill battle in winning the defamation suit and must prove that the article was false and that the WSJ knew, or should have known, it was false.
The outlet has stood by its reporting in previous statements. 'We have full confidence in the rigor and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit,' a spokesperson said.
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated that the Epstein scandal continues to dominate and overshadow his agenda.
Trump was quizzed again Monday about the Epstein files while holding a press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Trump Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, where he revealed that he turned down an invitation to Epstein's notorious island.
'I never had the privilege of going to his island, and I did turn it down, but a lot of people in Palm Beach were invited to his island,' Trump said. 'In one of my very good moments, I turned it down. I didn't want to go to his island.'
The president continues to be dogged by the administration's handling of the Epstein files as questions about Trump's ties to the sex offender persist. Earlier this month the Department of Justice announced no further information would be released in the investigation. That is after months of officials saying they were reviewing files before their release.
That led to anger among Trump's MAGA base. The president has tried to turn attention to other topics, but it has not been successful.
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