Donald Trump agreed to delay elderly media mogul Rupert Murdoch's deposition for the president's defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal until after a motion to dismiss is decided, according to a court filing.
In a joint-stipulation filed at U.S. District Court Southern District of Florida in Miami on Monday, the 94-year-old Murdoch agreed to provide a sworn health statement within three days of court approval and sworn health updates in the meantime. Failing to do either would trigger a faster deposition.
If the motion to dismiss is denied, Murdoch's in‑person deposition will happen within 30 days in the U.S.
Trump retains the right to move quickly if Murdoch's health changes.
The document signed by attorneys on both sides also said Murdoch and News Corp CEO Robert Thomson won't challenge the court's jurisdiction.
A week earlier, Trump asked the court to force Murdoch to give a deposition within 15 days, citing the media mogul's age and physical condition.
The president's motion to the court on July 28 noted Murdoch is 94, believed to have suffered several health scares in recent years, and is presumed to live in New York.
"Taken together, these factors weigh heavily in determining that Murdoch would be unavailable for in-person testimony at trial," Trump's request to the court said.
The president on July 18 sued the Journal, its owners, including Murdoch, and the reporters who wrote the story asserting Trump's name was on a 2003 birthday greeting for Jeffrey Epstein that included a sexually suggestive drawing and a reference to secrets they shared.
Epstein, the disgraced financier and child sex offender, died in a New York jail in 2019 before trial.
Dow Jones has said the Journal stood by its reporting and would vigorously defend against the lawsuit.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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