The £7.5bn lawsuit filed by Donald Trump against Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal has all the hallmarks of a political spectacle rather than a sincere attempt at legal redress. Ostensibly, it centres on a bizarre, explicit birthday message allegedly sent by Trump to the late Jeffrey Epstein, which he claims is fake. But a deeper look suggests something more strategic and deeply cynical may be at play: a calculated distraction masking the enduring ideological ties between Trump and Murdoch, and a joint effort to steer media and public discourse away from the shared neo-conservative agenda they have long pursued.
An Unconvincing Falling Out
At first glance, the lawsuit suggests a dramatic break between Trump and Murdoch, two figures who have worked symbiotically for years. Murdoch’s media empire, especially Fox News, was instrumental in creating and maintaining Trump’s political base. Trump, in turn, rewarded that loyalty with access and policy positions favouring the Murdoch worldview: deregulation, tax cuts for the wealthy, and a pro-corporate, nationalist message. The supposed personal animosity (which Trump now theatrically rekindles) has surfaced before, usually when Fox momentarily turned against him, only to realign later. It is a choreographed cycle of betrayal and reconciliation that fuels media drama while reinforcing their mutual dominance.
Epstein as a Smokescreen
The timing of this legal action is telling. It coincides with mounting public pressure around the Epstein files, a scandal that reaches into the highest echelons of global power. Trump’s lawsuit conveniently shifts focus away from his own entanglement in the Epstein affair, rebranding him not as a figure under scrutiny but as a victim of libel. By launching this high-profile legal counteroffensive, Trump is positioning himself as the one calling for truth and transparency, even while former allies and supporters question his sincerity and demand full disclosure.
Media Wars and the Illusion of Opposition
The idea that Trump and Murdoch are now true adversaries does not stand up to scrutiny. Despite public jabs, they are still spotted together at high-profile events, suggesting personal ties remain intact. This so-called rift may serve to distance Murdoch’s media from Trump just enough to retain credibility in moderate circles, while still providing ample coverage that bolsters Trump’s status among his base.
Moreover, suing a media outlet, especially one owned by Murdoch, allows Trump to stoke his long-running narrative of being victimised by “fake news,” even when the supposed antagonist is someone who helped build that very narrative machine. It’s an ouroboros of disinformation, with Trump and Murdoch playing both predator and prey.
Neo-Conservative Continuity Beneath the Noise
Beneath this theatre lies a consistent ideological project: the advancement of a nationalist, neo-conservative agenda that fuses economic elitism with cultural grievance. Murdoch’s empire amplifies these values, and Trump embodies them. Both promote deregulation, anti-immigration rhetoric, hostility to global institutions, and a revisionist form of American exceptionalism. Their apparent split distracts from the fact that, ideologically, they are still working towards the same goals.
Even the legal mechanics of the case may serve as a delaying tactic, bogging down investigations, obscuring key facts, and giving Trump an opportunity to posture as a crusader against establishment media while protecting his own interests in the Epstein matter.
A Theatre of Distrust
This lawsuit is less a genuine act of grievance and more a con, a performance to distract from both Trump’s vulnerability in the Epstein scandal and the ongoing alignment between him and Rupert Murdoch. It’s a savvy PR move dressed up as legal action, designed to capture headlines, muddy the waters, and present Trump as both martyr and hero in his base’s eyes.
Far from marking the end of a political partnership, this feud, like many before it, only serves to fortify the deeper, more enduring alliance between power, media, and neo-conservative ambition. The public should be wary of being drawn into their pantomime of enmity, when in reality, the agenda behind the curtain remains tightly coordinated.
