[I]n the filing, Murdoch et al. argue that Trump is too lewd a person to suffer reputational harm from this story. To prove this, Murdoch relies on the infamous Access Hollywood video in which Trump boasted that due to his celebrity status he could sexually assault women.
Yes, Murdoch, whose Fox News and New York Post provide the most prominent media platforms for slavish Trump worship, says Trump is such a lout that an association with an affectionate note to a sex criminal cannot tarnish his public image.
Truth is an absolute defense against libel, slander, and the like. Just use discovery to dig into the details, subpoena the epstein files themselves. Tell everyone that, use the megaphone from the trial to yell about his connections to prove the point, he will drop the case.