Baltimore Sun owner files defamation suit against Governor Wes Moore over Epstein and Trump remarks

David D. Smith, owner of the Baltimore Sun, sued Maryland Governor Wes Moore, alleging false statements linking him to Jeffrey Epstein and claiming the paper serves Donald Trump.

Baltimore Sun proprietor David D. Smith has initiated a defamation lawsuit against Maryland Governor Wes Moore, contending that Moore falsely portrayed him as an associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and as a mouthpiece for Donald Trump. The complaint, filed Friday, cites remarks Moore made on the MS NOW program "The Weeknight," where he alleged Smith said the Sun’s job was to do Trump’s work and that he bought the paper to spread Trump’s message.

Smith maintains that Moore offered no evidence for these statements and has not issued an apology or correction. The suit emphasizes that any link to Epstein is baseless and has damaged Smith’s personal and professional standing. Smith also disputes that he ever described the Baltimore Sun as a vehicle for Trump’s agenda, noting a 2018 conversation with Trump referred to a different context.

The governor was sued individually, not in his official capacity, and must be shown to have acted with actual malice for the claim to succeed. The filing comes amid ongoing tensions, with the Sun previously targeting Democratic officials in Maryland and Moore accusing the paper of right-wing bias.