A federal judge with a history of presiding over one of Donald Trump’s prior lawsuits has been assigned to the former president’s latest legal battle — a $10 billion defamation suit against media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Judge Darrin Gayles, a Barack Obama appointee and the first openly gay Black man to serve on the federal bench, will oversee Trump’s new case targeting Murdoch, News Corp, Dow Jones, and two Wall Street Journal reporters over an article linking Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The case echoes a legal battle Trump waged against his former personal attorney Michael Cohen. That $500 million breach-of-contract suit was abruptly dropped in 2023 after Judge Gayles scheduled a deposition that would have required Trump to testify under oath. Legal experts say a similar scenario may unfold in the Murdoch case.
The article in question, published by the Journal, reported that Trump had sent Epstein a “bawdy” birthday letter in 2003 — a claim Trump has fiercely denied. The letter was reportedly among the materials reviewed by federal investigators in their probe of Epstein.
If the case proceeds, Trump could again be forced to sit for a deposition — this time fielding questions about his past relationship with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including comments he made in 2002 praising Epstein’s fondness for “beautiful women … on the younger side.”
History Repeats?
Cohen, now a vocal Trump critic, predicted that Murdoch will likely settle the case rather than risk prolonged litigation.
“I predict Murdoch, et al will settle this matter in the same manner that ABC and CBS did,” Cohen said, referencing recent settlements Trump reached with those networks. “Unlike the lawsuit against me, this action has real consequences.”
However, Cohen’s former lawyer Lanny Davis offered a different forecast, suggesting Trump will abandon the suit if Gayles again orders a deposition. “Even if he has nothing to hide, Trump won’t want to risk alienating his base,” Davis said. “This isn’t good crisis management — it extends the story.”
Political and Legal Fallout
Trump filed the suit just one day after the Journal’s story appeared, amid growing calls for the Justice Department to release more Epstein-related files. Trump has attempted to distance himself from Epstein in recent years, despite archival footage and past interviews documenting their long association.
While Trump has signaled he’s eager for Murdoch and others to undergo depositions, Davis said the move may backfire. “A defamation lawsuit is like inviting a full-body scan,” he noted. “Trump may be giving oxygen to a story he wants to disappear.”
The defendants, for now, appear ready to fight. Dow Jones told CNBC it stands by its reporting and “will vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
Trump, meanwhile, has publicly warned Murdoch on Truth Social:
“I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case.”
Whether the case moves forward or fizzles like the Cohen lawsuit, Judge Gayles once again finds himself at the center of a high-stakes legal drama involving the former president.
