President Donald Trump has demanded Rupert Murdoch respond to his defamation lawsuit within 15 days because he is 94 years old and has a range of health issues.

The US president is suing The Wall Street Journal and its billionaire owner for $10 billion after the newspaper alleged that Mr Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a lewd letter for his 50th birthday.

Mr Trump applied for an expedited deposition from Mr Murdoch, suggesting his advanced age adds urgency to the legal process.
“First, Murdoch is 94 years old, has suffered from multiple health issues throughout his life, is believed to have suffered recent significant health scares..,” a court filing registered on Monday said.

Mr Trump filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr Murdoch in Florida on July 18. The motion for the expedited deposition, filed on Monday suggests Mr Murdoch would be incapable of travelling from his home in New York to Florida for a trial.