A gay Obama-appointed judge will preside over Donald Trumps libel lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch and the Wall Street Journal over claims the president once sent an NSFW birthday card and doodle to the late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Trump is suing for $10 billion after denying he ever wrote the letter, and now Judge Darrin Gayles, who became the first out gay Black man appointed as a federal judge, has been assigned to the case. Related Marjorie Taylor Greene rages at drag queen story time as she defends Trumps Epstein friendship She called out fake outrage from Democrats who support LGBTQ+ people but are calling for the release of the Epstein files. The Senate unanimously confirmed Gayles after he was appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2014. Politico pointed out he earned such widespread support for being relatively bipartisan. Two Republican governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist appointed him to Florida state judgeships before Obama appointed him to the federal bench. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today The lawsuit stems from a July 17 article in TheWall Street Journal, whichalleged that Trump contributed to a book of racy letters for Epsteins 50th birthday in 2003. The article described Trumps letter as containing several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker.A pair of small arcs denotes the womans breasts, the description adds, and the future presidents signature is a squiggly Donald below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.The Journal also reported that the letter said, We have certain things in common, Jeffrey A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret. Trump has ardently denied he wrote the letter, calling the story fake and claiming, I dont draw pictures of women. The president has found himself in hot water over his connections to Epstein and his administrations recent refusal to release case files that it has long promised to share. MAGA conspiracy theorists have been chomping at the bit for the Epstein files, and many are turning on Trump as he doubles down on his administrations decision.Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking minors. While the medical examiner determined that his death was a suicide, many people, especially on the right, do not believe that it was, instead asserting that he was killed to keep him silent about the clients for whom he found children to sexually abuse.Many officials associated with Trump had spent years repeating the same rumors, andTrump himself said repeatedly in 2024 that the Epstein list needed to be released. In February, Attorney General Bondi said that she was reviewing a lot of names related to the Epstein investigation and said that the Epstein list is sitting on my desk right now to review.But last week, the Department of Justice released a memo that said there was no secret client list and reaffirmed the 2019 finding that Epstein died by suicide. Many Trump supporters were outraged that the rumored client list wouldnt be released, while many on the left speculated that the reason Bondi wasnt releasing it is because Trump himself or at least high-ranking members of his administration is on it.Trump had a decades-long friendship with Epsteinand joked about how his friend was fun and terrific andliked women on the younger side. Trump has also beenfound liable for sexual abuse by a jury, hasadmitted to sexually assaulting womenin the past, and hasadmitted to walking in on underage girlsas they changed clothes. He has been accused of sexual assault or other forms of sexual improprietyby at least 27 women.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.