Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Pause on New Wind-Energy Permits 
Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership 
U.S. Pressures ICC to Limit Authority as Washington Threatens New Sanctions 
Belarus Frees Opposition Leaders Maria Kalesnikava and Viktar Babaryka in U.S.-Brokered Deal 
Supreme Court to Review Legality of Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Restrictions 
Global Leaders Condemn Deadly Antisemitic Shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach During Hanukkah 
Bolivia’s Ex-President Luis Arce Detained in Embezzlement Probe 
Thailand Vows Continued Military Action Amid Cambodia Border Clash Despite Trump Ceasefire Claim 
Brazil Arrests Former Peruvian Foreign Minister Augusto Blacker Miller in International Fraud Case 
Tunisia Protests Grow as Opposition Unites Against President Kais Saied’s Rule 
Thousands Protest in Brazil Against Efforts to Reduce Jair Bolsonaro’s Prison Sentence 
U.S. Homeland Security Ends TSA Union Contract, Prompting Legal Challenge 
New Epstein Photos Surface Showing Trump as Lawmakers Near Document Release Deadline 
Preservation Group Sues Trump Administration to Halt $300 Million White House Ballroom Project 
U.S. Appeals Court Rules Trump Can Remove Members of Key Federal Labor Boards 
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened legal action against The Wall Street Journal, its parent company NewsCorp, and Rupert Murdoch following a report claiming Trump sent a lewd birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The letter was allegedly included in a birthday album curated by Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, according to the WSJ.
In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump called the letter “fake” and warned the WSJ not to publish the story. He claimed Murdoch and the Journal were personally advised against it, saying, “I will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly.”
The controversy adds fuel to the ongoing scandal surrounding Trump’s alleged connections to Epstein, the convicted sex offender who died in jail in 2019. Maxwell remains in federal custody. The issue resurfaced after Trump’s administration reversed a previous pledge to release key documents tied to the Justice Department’s investigation into Epstein's network, which allegedly includes prominent figures.
Trump also claimed he instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to release all grand jury transcripts related to the Epstein case. He insisted the story is a politically motivated hoax, blaming Democrats and the political left. Earlier this week, he criticized his own supporters for not moving past the Epstein controversy.
The incident comes amid rising public scrutiny over Trump’s handling of the so-called “Epstein files,” sparking backlash even from his base. Billionaire Elon Musk, who is in a public spat with Trump, mocked the president’s dismissal of the scandal.
Trump also referenced his recent legal victory over CBS’ 60 Minutes, where he successfully sued over a selectively edited interview with then-rival Kamala Harris, claiming defamation.
The Epstein controversy continues to cast a shadow over Trump’s 2025 presidency.
