John,
In case you missed it: Late last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Donald Trump once sent Jeffrey Epstein a birthday card featuring a lewd cartoon and this creepy message:
“Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump tried to kill the story. When that failed, he sued—for $10 billion. If successful, it would be the largest defamation payout in U.S. history. Bogus lawsuits like this have become central to Trump’s war on the free press.
We’ll explain how he’s using this strategy to cover up his ties to Epstein in a moment—but first, we need your support.
Here’s what we know about Trump’s latest lawsuit:
- It targets Rupert Murdoch, Dow Jones, and the WSJ reporters who broke the story.
- Trump is bragging on Truth Social about dragging Murdoch into court, calling the reporting “fake news” to rally his base.
- So far, The Wall Street Journal isn’t backing down—but the lawsuit alone sends a chilling message.
So what’s the real goal? Fear.
Trump has already forced CBS and ABC to settle similar lawsuits.
Now he’s trying to make an example of The Wall Street Journal—not just to bury the Epstein story, but to scare the press into silence before they publish the next one.
His message to journalists and news outlets is simple: Comply—or else.
It’s a classic authoritarian move—and COURIER is fighting back with fearless journalism that reaches millions in the online spaces where Trump’s lies spread. But we can’t keep doing it without your support.
If you believe journalism should expose power—not kneel before it—please chip in.
Thanks for standing with us,
The COURIER Team