President Donald Trump is turning up the legal heat on media mogul Rupert Murdoch—demanding the 94-year-old be deposed immediately in Trump’s explosive $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal.
The reason? Trump says he’s not waiting for Murdoch to die before facing accountability.
In a fiery legal motion filed Monday in federal court in Florida, Trump’s legal team pushed for Murdoch to be forced to testify within the next two weeks, citing the billionaire’s declining health and advanced age.
“Rupert Murdoch is 94 years old, has faced serious health scares, and may not be able to testify by the time this reaches trial,” said Trump attorney Alejandro Brito. “The clock is ticking.”
Trump launched the multibillion-dollar lawsuit earlier this month after the Wall Street Journal published what it claimed was a lewd birthday letter Trump allegedly sent to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein back in 2003.
The letter—described as “bawdy” and featuring a naked woman’s outline supposedly drawn by Trump—was widely covered by the liberal media. But President Trump has called it flat-out “fake” and a “malicious hoax.”
“This is just another disgusting attempt by the fake news media to smear me,” Trump told reporters. “The Journal will be held accountable. Murdoch should be ashamed of himself.”
Trump’s team is moving quickly to secure Murdoch’s testimony, arguing that due to his age and reported recent health scares, he may not be around for a full trial.
The filing adds that Murdoch is believed to be living in New York, a jurisdiction where the media tycoon would be required to testify under federal subpoena rules.
The White House has remained silent on the matter, and The Wall Street Journal has declined comment. Murdoch’s representatives also haven’t responded.
Background: A War of Titans
Trump and Murdoch have had a tumultuous relationship for years. While Murdoch-owned outlets like Fox News once boosted Trump’s rise, tensions flared after the 2020 election, with Murdoch’s empire frequently accused of undermining Trump’s legitimacy claims.
Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Trump has made no secret of his desire to hold legacy media accountable for what he calls “years of lies and political sabotage.”
“This is about truth,” Trump said in a statement. “If they can lie about me, they can lie about you.”
What Comes Next
If the court grants Trump’s motion, Murdoch could face questioning under oath as soon as early August. It would mark a stunning legal showdown between two of the most powerful men in the media and political world—one as the sitting U.S. President, the other as the frail kingmaker who helped build a global conservative media empire.
The case is shaping up to be a historic defamation battle with major implications for media freedom, corporate responsibility, and political power in the digital age.
And Trump isn’t backing down.
“We’re just getting started,” one source close to the president said. “No one is above the truth—not even Rupert Murdoch.”
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Rupert Murdoch is anything but not conservative.
God will deal with Murdoch especially if he does not repent and get things right.