JD Vance slams WSJ ‘hit piece': US VP demands proof behind Trump-Epstein birthday book claim; defends President's lawsuit

Time of India

25-07-2025

JD Vance (File photo)
US Vice President JD Vance has come out swinging against The Wall Street Journal over its recent report linking President
Donald Trump
to a sexually suggestive message allegedly written for
Jeffrey Epstein
's 50th birthday tribute book.
In a fiery post on X, Vance accused the WSJ of publishing what he called a 'hit piece' against Trump without providing credible proof. 'I have no idea if the book exists—WSJ won't show it to us. I have no idea if the letter exists—WSJ won't show it to us,' he wrote. 'It's disgraceful, and it's why the president sued," he added.
Vance also pushed back on the broader narrative, calling it 'absurd that a major American paper would attack the President of the United States without revealing the basis", referring to allegations that Trump write poems to Epstein, and warning that the media will 'dribble little details out for days or weeks in an effort to assassinate the president's character.'
Further, accusing them of pushing Democrats' narrative he further said, "Everyone will just move on from the fact that the WSJ is acting like a Democrat SuperPAC."
His remarks follow a Wall Street Journal report published last week claiming that Trump signed a crude drawing in a birthday book compiled by
Ghislaine Maxwell
, Epstein's longtime associate who is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking minors. The Journal alleged that Trump's contribution included the outline of a naked woman with his signature below her waist, reportedly captioned with the phrase, 'May every day be another wonderful secret.'
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Trump swiftly denied the allegation, posting on Truth Social that the letter was a 'FAKE.' The White House also issued a statement dismissing the claims as politically motivated. 'This is nothing more than a continuation of the fake news stories concocted by the Democrats and the liberal media,' said spokesperson Steven Cheung.
The report also resurfaced Trump's prior connections to Epstein, including a 1997 inscription in a copy of The Art of the Comeback that read, 'To Jeff- You are the greatest!' A previously unreleased photo of Trump, Epstein, and singer James Brown was also reviewed by The New York Times, further fueling scrutiny of their past ties.
The controversy has intensified calls from lawmakers and the public to release sealed Epstein-related documents. A key House committee voted this week to subpoena files from the Justice Department, and Rep. Ro Khanna has indicated he plans to subpoena Epstein's estate for the original birthday book.
Epstein's estate said Thursday it would comply with all lawful processes. Meanwhile, Maxwell's role remains central- she reportedly wrote the book's introductory letter and met with a Justice Department official this week.
While the WSJ and NYT say they have reviewed parts of the book and Maxwell's letter, they have yet to publish full images of the materials in question, prompting continued criticism from Trump's allies.
Trump's lawsuit
Trump filed a libel and slander lawsuit against Dow Jones, News Corp along with two Wall Street Journal reporters, and the paper's owner Rupert Murdoch. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that he filed a 'powerhouse lawsuit.'
"We have just filed a POWERHOUSE Lawsuit against everyone involved in publishing the false, malicious, defamatory, FAKE NEWS 'article' in the useless 'rag' that is, The Wall Street Journal," the MAGA supremo said.
"This historic legal action is being brought against the so-called authors of this defamation, the now fully disgraced WSJ, as well as its corporate owners and affiliates, with Rupert Murdoch and Robert Thomson (whatever his role is!) at the top of the list," Trump added. The lawsuit was filed in the federal court for the Southern District of Florida, based in Miami. A full copy of the complaint had not yet been made public.