The federal judge assigned to preside over Donald Trump’s $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent company is Darrin P. Gayles — a historic figure in the U.S. judiciary and a former federal prosecutor appointed by President Barack Obama.
Judge Gayles, who serves on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, became the first openly gay Black man to serve on the federal bench when he was confirmed by the Senate in 2014 with a unanimous 98–0 vote.
Randomly Assigned to Trump Case
Judge Gayles was randomly selected to handle the high-profile lawsuit, which was filed by Trump in federal court in Miami on July 18. The suit claims that the WSJ falsely reported Trump had written a birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The complaint names Rupert Murdoch, News Corp, Dow Jones, WSJ executive Robert Thomson, and two reporters whose bylines appeared on the story.
A Longstanding Judicial Career
Before his federal appointment, Gayles served over a decade on the Florida 11th Judicial Circuit. He was first named to the County Court by then-Governor Jeb Bush in 2004, and later promoted to the Circuit Court by Governor Charlie Crist in 2011. He was retained without opposition in both roles.
Legal Background and Education
Gayles is a graduate of Howard University and George Washington University Law School. His legal career began in 1993 as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami-Dade County, after which he joined the U.S. Department of Justice. There, he served as Assistant District Counsel for the Immigration and Naturalization Service and later as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, working in the Appellate, Major Crimes, and Narcotics sections.
Civic Engagement
Outside the courtroom, Gayles has been deeply involved in civic life. He served as co-chair of the 11th Judicial Circuit’s Professionalism Committee and has volunteered with several organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters, 100 Black Men of South Florida, and the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project.
As Trump’s defamation suit moves forward, Judge Gayles will be responsible for overseeing one of the most closely watched legal battles involving the former president and the media.
