'Is this CNN?!' Michael Smerconish goes viral as he rejects WSJ's Trump-Epstein letter
Michael Smerconish defended the president on his show after The Wall Street Journal published an alleged birthday letter that Trump sent to the pedophile financier.
Trump denies he wrote the letter and accompanying lewd drawing. He is suing the Journal, as well as the paper's owner media mogul Rupert Murdoch personally.
Smerconish shared excerpts of the letter on his show, which included an imaginary conversation between Trump and Epstein. The note allegedly concludes with Trump telling Epstein, 'May every day be a wonderful secret.'
The CNN host said on Saturday, 'It's hard to believe that the president would have written the imaginary conversation between himself and Epstein 22 years ago. I mean, listen to some of the back and forth.'
After reading a few excerpts, Smerconish stated, 'That doesn't sound like something Donald Trump would write.'
X user @MichaelFauchea2 wrote, 'Is this CNN????????? Wow!' in response to a clip of Smerconish's remarks.
Another user, who goes by the handle of @TyrannyStomper, wrote 'Man, thank you, CNN. As bad as CNN is they do get it right occasionally these days.'
The bombshell report by the Journal alleges that Trump drew Epstein a 'bawdy' doodle of a topless woman, which included his signature on her pubic area.
Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, declared on social media, 'In 47 years I've never seen him doodle once. Give me a break.'
Vice President JD Vance posted on X defending his boss, saying that the story is 'complete and utter bulls***.'
'The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it,' the 40-year-old VP continued. 'Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?'
Democrats have put Republicans in a bind over the matter, seizing on the bizarre explanation that Trump doesn't draw, despite there being myriad examples of the president's sketches.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom hit back on Trump's claim he never drew with a picture by posting one that he donated to charity.
'Trump loves to draw,' former congressman Adam Kinzinger posted alongside a dozen of the president's drawings. 'Just saying.'
Progressive Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., wrote on X: 'I don't know what's in the Epstein files, but Trump being so desperate to make this story go away is making me wonder: what's he hiding?'
'Give the American people the transparency they deserve,' she added. 'Release the full files.'
Across Washington, the Epstein scandal is proving difficult to tamp down.
A rebel band of Republican lawmakers including some of MAGA's biggest stars - like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert - are joining forces with hundreds of Democrats to force a bombshell ballot on the Epstein files.
Despite the typical partisan battle lines being drawn on most issues in Washington, D.C. these days, this matter in particular has created an unlikely set of bedfellows.
Progressive Democrat Ro Khanna and libertarian-minded Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky teamed up last week to introduce the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which would compel Attorney General Pam Bondi to publicly release all unclassified materials relating to Jeffery Epstein.
The duo's resolution is receiving the the backing of a diverse set of members, including New York socialist darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan 'Squad' member Rashida Tlaib, as well as Boebert of Colorado, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, and Greene of Georgia.
Khanna noted during a Thursday media appearance that his resolution had the backing of all 212 of his Democratic colleagues in the House.
Even if only the 10 GOP co-sponsors of the resolution were to support it, it would easily pass the House, as just a simple majority is need, which is 218 votes out of 435.
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