Trump Sends Birthday Wishes to Billionaire He's Suing for $10B

The president praised Rupert Murdoch as 'legendary' despite ongoing $10 billion lawsuit over WSJ reporting.

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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President Donald Trump sent a gushing video tribute to media mogul Rupert Murdoch for his 95th birthday celebration in New York, despite the president currently suing Murdoch's company for $10 billion over a report in The Wall Street Journal about a birthday message Trump allegedly sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Why it matters

The birthday message highlights the complex and often contradictory relationship between Trump and Murdoch, whose conservative media outlets have both supported and criticized the former president. The lawsuit over the Epstein birthday message report is part of a broader effort by Trump to push back against negative media coverage.

The details

In the video message, Trump described Murdoch as 'legendary' and 'one of a kind,' praising his 'courage, vision, and determination.' Trump did not mention the ongoing $10 billion lawsuit he filed against Murdoch and the Journal last year over the report about the alleged Epstein birthday message. The Journal had published images of a lewd drawing and message that it claimed was signed by Trump and sent to Epstein around 2003, when the two were still friends.

  • Trump filed the $10 billion lawsuit against Murdoch and the Journal in July 2025.
  • The Journal first reported on the alleged Epstein birthday message in July 2025.

The players

Donald Trump

The 79-year-old former president of the United States who is currently suing Rupert Murdoch's media company for $10 billion.

Rupert Murdoch

The 95-year-old chairman emeritus of Fox Corporation and News Corp, which owns conservative media outlets like The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.

The Wall Street Journal

A newspaper owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp that reported on an alleged birthday message Trump sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Jeffrey Epstein

The late convicted sex offender who was a former friend of Donald Trump.

Ghislaine Maxwell

Epstein's child-trafficking accomplice who compiled a book that included the alleged Trump birthday message to Epstein.

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What they’re saying

“I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his 'pile of garbage' newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!”

— Donald Trump (Truth Social)

What’s next

The judge in Trump's $10 billion lawsuit against Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal will likely schedule a hearing to determine if the case can proceed.

The takeaway

The birthday message from Trump to Murdoch, despite their ongoing legal battle, underscores the complex and often contradictory relationship between the former president and the conservative media mogul whose outlets have both supported and criticized him over the years.