Trump Heaps Praise on ‘One of a Kind’ Rupert Murdoch at Star-Studded 95th Birthday, Despite Currently Suing Him for $10B

Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency/Sipa USA via AP Images & AP Photo/Alex Brandon

President Donald Trump heaped praise on News Corporation founder Rupert Murdoch at his star-studded 95th birthday party on Saturday, even though he’s currently suing Murdoch for $10 billion.

The New York Post and Breaker Media both captured photos of attendees at Murdoch’s birthday bash at The Grill in Manhattan, showing a guest list that included some surprising names.

Murdoch, his wife Elena Zhukova, and his son Lachlan Murdoch were joined by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, former U.S. Attorney Bill Barr, former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, former U.K. Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Rishi Sunak, billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, billionaire Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, billionaire IAC chairman and Daily Beast owner Barry Diller, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, musical composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, former Activision CEO and Jeffrey Epstein associate Bobby Kotick, former Formula One CEO Chase Carey, and Hollywood star Hugh Jackman – who entertained Murdoch with renditions of Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” and “Fly Me to the Moon.”

More surprisingly, the party was also attended by President Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner, who were photographed walking into the venue by Breaker Media founder Lachlan Cartwright and photographer Jesse Ward. Their attendance was made all the more shocking by news that the president himself delivered a video birthday message to Murdoch inside the venue.

“Bret Baier of Fox News introduced a surprise video tribute to the Chairman Emeritus of Fox Corporation and News Corp from President Trump,” reported the News Corporation-owned New York Post. “POTUS called Murdoch ‘legendary’ and ‘one of a kind,’ and also praised the birthday boy for his ‘courage, vision, and determination,’ saying he’s ‘changed the world’ during his venerable career.

President Trump is currently suing Murdoch and News Corporation for $10 billion over The Wall Street Journal‘s decision to publish details of a birthday card he reportedly sent to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.

Trump has denied authoring the card, which featured his signature and a drawing of the outline of a naked woman, despite images of it later being included in the Epstein files released by the House Oversight Committee.

“I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his ‘pile of garbage’ newspaper, the WSJ,” Trump wrote in July. “That will be an interesting experience!!!”

Other highlights of the night included former News International CEO Les Hinton reportedly tumbling to the floor after sitting on a broken chair.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!