Donald Trump reacts after report reveals his birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein: 'I'm gonna sue, just like…'
The Jeffrey Epstein files continue to haunt US President Donald Trump. The conspiracy theories that helped propel the Republican to power show no sign of fading until the files are 'satisfactorily' released to appease the MAGA faithful. Even though the President has urged 'weaklings' to 'move on' from the Epstein saga, a letter he once wrote to the now-deceased financier and convicted sex offender has now surfaced.
On Wednesday, after angry comments about how the files are a hoax created by Democrats, President Trump lashed out at his own supporters for refusing to let the matter go.
'It was Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday, and Ghislaine Maxwell was preparing a special gift to mark the occasion. She turned to Epstein's family and friends. One of them was Donald Trump', WSJ wrote.
According to WSJ report, Ghislane Maxwell had collected letters from Trump and dozens of Epstein's other associates for a 2003 birthday album.
Pages from the leather-bound album—assembled before Epstein was first arrested in 2006—are among the documents examined by Justice Department officials who investigated Epstein and Maxwell years ago, according to people who have reviewed the pages. It's unclear if any of the pages are part of the Trump administration's recent review.
The letter bearing Donald Trump's name, which was reviewed by the Journal, is bawdy—like others in the album. It contains 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 woman's breasts, and the future president's signature is a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.', WSJ detailed in their report.
The letter concludes: 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.'
In an interview with the Journal on Tuesday evening, US president Donald Trump denied writing the letter or drawing the picture. 'This is not me. This is a fake thing. It's a fake Wall Street Journal story,' he said.
'I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women,' he said. 'It's not my language. It's not my words.'
The US President also said he would file a lawsuit against the newspaper, which is owned by the conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch, if it published the story:
"I'm gonna sue The Wall Street Journal just like I sued everyone else," he said, according to the newspaper.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mint
36 minutes ago
- Mint
UK Looking to Join Trump Plan to Purchase US Weapons for Ukraine
The UK is looking to participate in European purchases of US military equipment for Ukraine, as allies seize on Donald Trump's more hostile stance toward Russia even if it means financing the weapons themselves. Defense Secretary John Healey and his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, will discuss what role the UK will play in the purchase program during a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Monday. The UK's contribution could see it jointly purchasing Patriot air-defense systems with Germany, or separately buying other weapons and munitions from the US for Ukraine, with both options under consideration, according to people familiar with the plans. Trump this week agreed to supply more materiel to the government in Kyiv, including Patriots, other air-defense systems and munitions, provided they were funded by NATO allies. Germany is planning to finance the purchase of two Patriot batteries for Ukraine from the US, with the details of the deal to be negotiated in the coming weeks, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday. Other European allies are yet to make such commitments. Depending on the configuration, each of the Patriot systems — which are manufactured by RTX Corp. — cost about $1 billion, and the system's missiles about $4 million each. Trump has also threatened to impose 100% 'secondary tariffs' on Russia if Vladimir Putin doesn't agree to a ceasefire within 50 days. Talks between the UK, Germany and the US remain at an early stage but British ministers have decided they want to join Germany in participating in Trump's proposal. Separately, Germany wants to buy the mid-range Typhon missile system from the US for its own stocks. 'The UK backs the scheme, and we plan to play our full part,' Healey told the House of Commons on Thursday. The UK and Germany have agreed to partner in providing critical air-defense missiles to Ukraine, he said. The Trump-NATO plan will be developed during Monday's meeting — being co-chaired by the UK and Germany — with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte also due to take part. The aim is to determine which European NATO members are willing to provide more money to purchase Patriots from the US, as well as which countries can spare more Patriots for Ukraine from their own stocks before Russia's next wave of air attacks on its civilian energy infrastructure, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. In addition to the delivery of additional equipment, the UK and France agreed last week to establish a military command and control structure for a post-peace force in Ukraine, if a peace deal is eventually agreed. The command headquarters will be based in Paris for 12 months, before rotating to London. If and when the force is deployed, it will be co-ordinated by another HQ in Kyiv, headed by a UK military officer. The goal is to regenerate Ukraine's land, air and naval forces by providing logistics, armament and training experts as well as aircraft and additional specialist teams in the Black Sea. With assistance from Arne Delfs and Gerry Doyle. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Trump's tariff pressure pushes Asia toward American LNG, but at the cost of climate goals
HANOI, VIETNAM: Asian countries are offering to buy more US liquefied natural gas in negotiations with the Trump administration as a way to alleviate tensions over US trade deficits and forestall higher tariffs. Analysts warn that strategy could undermine those countries' long-term climate ambitions and energy security. Buying more US LNG has topped the list of concessions Asian countries have offered in talks with Washington over President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs on foreign goods. Vietnam's Prime Minister underlined the need to buy more of the super-chilled fuel in a government meeting, and the government signed a deal in May with an American company to develop a gas import hub. JERA, Japan's largest power generator, signed new 20-year contracts last month to purchase up to 5.5 million metric tons of U.S. gas annually starting around 2030. US efforts to sell more LNG to Asia predate the Trump administration, but they've gained momentum with his intense push to win trade deals. Liquefied natural gas, or LNG, is natural gas cooled to a liquid form for easy storage and transport that is used as a fuel for transport, residential cooking and heating and industrial processes. Trump discussed cooperation on a $44 billion Alaska LNG project with South Korea, prompting a visit by officials to the site in June. The US president has promoted the project as a way to supply gas from Alaska's vast North Slope to a liquefication plant at Nikiski in south-central Alaska, with an eye largely on exports to Asian countries while bypassing the Panama Canal Thailand has offered to commit to a long-term deal for American fuel and shown interest in the same Alaska project to build a nearly 810-mile (1,300-kilometer) pipeline that would funnel gas from The Philippines is also considering importing gas from Alaska while India is mulling a plan to scrap import taxes on US energy shipments to help narrow its trade surplus with Washington. "Trump has put pressure on a seeming plethora of Asian trading partners to buy more US LNG," said Tim Daiss, at the APAC Energy Consultancy, pointing out that Japan had agreed to buy more despite being so "awash in the fuel" that it was being forced to cancel projects and contracts to offload the excess to Asia's growing economies. "Not good for Southeast Asia's sustainability goals," he said. LNG deals could derail renewable ambitions Experts say LNG purchasing agreements can slow adoption of renewable energy in Asia. Locking into long-term deals could leave countries with outdated infrastructure as the world shifts rapidly toward cleaner energy sources like solar or wind that offer faster, more affordable ways to meet growing power demand, said Indra Overland, head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Building pipelines, terminals, and even household gas stoves creates systems that are expensive and difficult to replace—making it harder to switch to renewables later. "And you're more likely then to get stuck for longer," he said. Energy companies that profit from gas or coal are powerful vested interests, swaying policy to favor their business models, he said. LNG burns cleaner than coal, but it's still a fossil fuel that emits greenhouse gases and contributes to climate change. Many LNG contracts include "take-or-pay" clauses, obliging governments to pay even if they don't use the fuel. Christopher Doleman of the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns that if renewable energy grows fast, reducing the need for LNG, countries may still have to pay for gas they no longer need. Pakistan is an example. Soaring LNG costs drove up electricity prices, pushing consumers to install rooftop solar panels. As demand for power drops and gas supply surges, the country is deferring LNG shipments and trying to resell excess fuel. The LNG math doesn't add up Experts said that although countries are signaling a willingness to import more U.S. LNG, they're unlikely to import enough to have a meaningful impact on US trade deficits. South Korea would need to import 121 million metric tons of LNG in a year — 50% more than the total amount of LNG the U.S. exported globally last year and triple what South Korea imported, said Doleman. Vietnam — with a trade surplus with the U.S. twice the size of Korea's — would need to import 181 million metric tons annually, more than double what the U.S. exported last year. Other obstacles stand in the way. The Alaska LNG project is widely considered uneconomic. Both coal and renewable energy in Asia are so much cheaper that U.S. gas would need to cost less than half its current price to compete. Tariffs on Chinese steel could make building building gas pipelines and LNG terminals more expensive, while longstanding delays to build new gas turbines mean new gas power projects may not come online until 2032. Meanwhile, a global glut in LNG will likely drive prices lower, making it even harder for countries to justify locking into long-term deals with the United States at current higher prices. LNG deals raise energy security concerns Committing to long-term U.S. LNG contracts could impact regional energy security at a time of growing geopolitical and market uncertainties, analysts said. A core concern is over the longterm stability of the U.S. as a trading partner, said Overland. "The U.S. is not a very predictable entity. And to rely on energy from there is a very risky proposition," he said. LNG only contributes to energy security when it's available and affordable, says Dario Kenner of Zero Carbon Analytics. "That's the bit that they leave out ... But it's pretty important," he said. This was the concern during the recent potential disruptions to fuel shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and earlier during the war in Ukraine, when LNG cargoes originally destined for Asia were rerouted to Europe. Despite having contracts, Asian countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were outbid by European buyers. "Events in Europe, which can seem very far away, can have an impact on availability and prices in Asia," Kenner said. Asian countries can improve their energy security and make progress toward cutting carbon emissions by building more renewable energy, he said, noting there is vast room for that given that only about 1% of Southeast Asia's solar and wind potential is being used. "There are genuine choices to meet rising electricity demand. It is not just having to build LNG," he said. (ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL with contribution from Jintamas Saksornchai)
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Oil Edges Down With Trade Talks, EU Curbs on Russia in Focus
Oil nudged lower following its first weekly drop this month, with traders focused on US trade talks and the European Union's efforts to curb Russian energy exports. Brent crude traded near $69 a barrel after falling 1.5% last week. EU envoys are set to meet as early as this week to formulate a plan to respond to a possible no-deal scenario with US President Donald Trump, whose position is seen to have stiffened ahead of an Aug. 1 deadline. Late last week, the 27-nation bloc agreed on a package of sanctions against Moscow, including a lower price cap on the country's crude, curbs on fuels made from Russian petroleum and a ban on a large refinery in India. The UK joined the EU efforts. Beijing — with two Chinese banks and other companies included in the sanctions — protested the EU measures and said it will take the necessary steps to resolutely 'safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms and financial institutions.' China and India became the main buyers of Russian crude when global flows were reshaped following the Kremlin's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The shipments have so far not been impeded by western restrictions. Oil has trended higher since early May, but Brent is still down about 7% this year as Trump ratchets up his trade war and OPEC relaxes supply curbs. Prices have been jolted by developments in the Middle East, as well as sanctions on crude from producers including Russia and Iran. Diesel's price relative to crude in Europe, a gauge for profitability of producing the fuel, was near the highest since March 2024, while its prompt time spread — the difference between its closest two contracts — also rallied on Friday, widening its bullish backwardation structure. To get Bloomberg's Energy Daily newsletter in your inbox, click here. ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
