Trump administration seeks to release some of Epstein probe material
Trump also vowed to sue "the a** off" The Wall Street Journal and its owner Rupert Murdoch after the newspaper said that in 2003 the future president wrote a raunchy letter to Epstein, referring to their shared "secret."
"I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his 'pile of garbage' newspaper, the WSJ. That will be an interesting experience!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department would ask a court to unseal grand jury testimony from the case against Epstein, apparently in hopes of dampening fury among many of Trump's most loyal supporters over what they see as a White House cover-up.
Epstein, a financier, was found hanging dead in his cell in New York in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges that sexually exploited dozens of underage girls at his homes in New York and Florida.
The case sparked conspiracy theories, especially among Trump's far-right voters, about an alleged international cabal of wealthy pedophiles. Epstein's death — declared a suicide — before he could face trial super-charged the narrative.
When Trump returned to power for a second term this January, his supporters clamored for revelations about Epstein's supposed list of clients. But Bondi issued an official memo in July declaring that there was no such list.
The discontent in Trump's MAGA, or Make America Great Again, base poses a rare challenge to the 79-year-old Republican's control of the political narrative in America.
It remained unclear whether a court would authorize the unsealing of what is usually highly secret grand jury testimony.
Even if such material were made public, it was also unclear whether it would shed much, if any, light on the main questions raised in the conspiracy theories — particularly the existence and possible contents of an Epstein client list.
Naked woman and signature
Trump was friends with Epstein and the two were photographed and videoed together at parties over the years, although there has never been evidence shown of wrongdoing.
The Wall Street Journal article published late Thursday was damaging because it indicated a shared interest in sex.
The Journal reported that Trump had wished Epstein a happy 50th birthday in 2003 with a letter featuring a hand-drawn naked woman and referring to their "secrets." The letter was reportedly among a slew of well-wishes from other rich and well-known figures for a birthday album.
A furious Trump said on Truth Social that the purported letter was a "Scam" and "Fake."
Trump also said that the Journal's chief editor, Emma Tucker, had been told the letter was fake and that she shouldn't publish it.
According to the Journal, the Trump letter contained the outline of a naked woman, apparently drawn with a marker pen, and had the future president's signature "Donald" mimicking pubic hair. It ends, according to the newspaper, with "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."
Trump reacted in a series of furious social media posts, saying "it's not my language. It's not my words. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
an hour ago
- Khaleej Times
Watch: Trump stands on White House roof, jokes about installing nuclear missiles
Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance Tuesday on a White House rooftop and joked about installing nuclear missiles at a time of escalating tensions with Russia. The US president, flanked by bodyguards and under the protection of snipers, strolled for 20 minutes on the flat roof above the press room as he looked across to the site of his proposed new ballroom. Asked why he was on the roof, he replied he was just "taking a little walk." Quizzed about what he intended to build, he joked "nuclear missiles," before appearing to mimic the launch of a weapon with his arm. The United States and Russia have engaged in heated rhetoric for several days. Trump last week ordered the deployment of two nuclear submarines near Russia in response to remarks he deemed provocative by former Russian president Dmitri Medvedev. Videos circulated on social media showing Trump's surprise stroll on the roof. Take a look: There will NEVER be another President Trump ð�¤£ — Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 5, 2025 Just taking a little walk — The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 5, 2025 Trump's imprint on the White House With his planned ballroom and other projects, Trump is determined to leave an imprint on the White House, drawing inspiration from the opulent style of his private properties. He has paved the lawn of the famous Rose Garden and adorned the Oval Office with lavish golden ornamentation. The 79-year-old leader recently announced plans for the ballroom, in what is shaping up to be the most significant project at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in over a century. He has vowed that he, with perhaps some help from private donors, would pay for all the work, estimated at $200 million. "It's just another way to spend my money for the country," he said Tuesday. A former reality TV host, Trump is known for his public appearances that are half-comical, half-provocative, delighting his supporters and providing television networks with the images they relish. In 2015, he announced his presidential candidacy after slowly descending a golden escalator. And during the last presidential campaign, he staged photo ops in a garbage truck cabin and served fries in a McDonald's restaurant.
UAE Moments
2 hours ago
- UAE Moments
NASA Set to Build Nuclear Reactor on Moon by 2030
NASA's interim administrator, Sean Duffy, has issued a directive to fast-track the development of a 100-kilowatt nuclear reactor destined for deployment on the Moon by 2030. This marks the first major policy initiative under Duffy's leadership and underscores a strategic shift toward sustainable and secure energy support for long-duration lunar missions. The directive instructs NASA to solicit proposals from private industry within 60 days, appoint a project leader, and design a reactor capable of powering lunar bases, habitats, and potential Mars missions. The move escalates previous plans centered on a 40 kW system to a more robust 100 kW design, reflecting the agency's renewed urgency. One of the driving motivations behind the accelerated timeline is geopolitical: China and Russia are jointly planning a lunar research base powered by nuclear technology in the mid-2030s. Duffy's directive explicitly warns that if those nations deploy a reactor first, they could declare exclusion zones that could limit U.S. access under the Artemis Accords. Nuclear power on the Moon is considered essential due to the limitations of solar energy during lunar night—each lunar night lasts about 14 Earth days—and permanently shadowed regions. A 100 kW reactor would ensure an uninterrupted energy supply for life support, communications, research labs, and robotics, particularly in regions holding potential water ice and Helium‑3 resources. This initiative aligns with NASA's broader restructuring agenda, which also includes replacing the aging International Space Station with commercially built space stations by 2030. Contracts for at least two private orbital platforms are expected within six months to maintain a U.S. human presence in Earth orbit. Despite past efforts in nuclear space power—such as the Kilopower reactor demonstrator and Fission Surface Power research programs—no reactor has yet been deployed. NASA previously awarded contracts to industry partners for designs around 40 kW, but Duffy's directive signals a major scale-up both in capacity and urgency. While ambitious, skeptics caution that technical challenges—including safe transport of enriched uranium, reliable lunar landing systems, and ensuring reactor safety—could complicate reaching the 2030 timeline. In sum, NASA's accelerated lunar reactor initiative represents a pivotal step toward ensuring energy independence and strategic advantage in the burgeoning era of Moon and Mars exploration, while also reshaping its reliance on public–private partnerships for orbital infrastructure. This article was previously published on saudimoments. To see the original article, click here
Gulf Business
3 hours ago
- Gulf Business
India unites against US tariff threat over Russian oil trade
India's ruling party and main opposition condemned on Tuesday a threat by US President Donald Trump to raise tariffs on goods from India over its Russian oil purchases, in a show of political unity as a trade rift deepens with Washington. Trump had already in July announced 25 per cent tariffs on Indian imports, and US officials have cited a range of geopolitical issues standing in the way of a US-India trade accord. Manish Tewari, a member of parliament and leader of the opposition Congress, said Trump's 'disparaging remarks hurt the dignity and self-respect of Indians'. 'The time has come to call out this constant bullying and hectoring,' he added. BJP Vice President Baijayant Jay Panda quoted Henry Kissinger — the most powerful US diplomat of the Cold War era — in a post on X: 'To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal.' India's Foreign Ministry said the country was being unfairly singled out over its purchases of Russian oil, and highlighted continued trade between Moscow and both the United States and the European Union, despite the war in Ukraine. 'It is revealing that the very nations criticising India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia,' it said in a statement issued late on Monday. 'It is unjustified to single out India,' the ministry said. It said the EU conducted 67.5 billion euros ($78.02bn) in trade with Russia in 2024, including record imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) reaching 16.5 million metric tons. The United States, the statement said, continues to import Russian uranium hexafluoride for use in its nuclear power industry, palladium, fertilisers and chemicals. It did not give a source for the export information. The US embassy and the EU's delegation in New Delhi did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Both the United States and EU have sharply scaled back their trade ties with Russia since it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. In 2021, Russia was the EU's fifth-largest trading partner, with goods exchange worth 258 billion euros, according to the EU executive European Commission. SUDDEN RIFT India is the biggest buyer of seaborne crude from Russia, importing about 1.75 million barrels per day of Russian oil from January to June this year, up 1 per cent from a year ago, according to data provided to Reuters by trade sources. It has faced pressure from the West to distance itself from Moscow since Russia invaded Ukraine. New Delhi has resisted, citing its longstanding ties with Russia and economic needs. India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is likely to travel to Russia this week on a scheduled visit, two government sources said. Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is expected to visit in the coming weeks. The sudden rift between India and the US has been deepening since July 31, when Trump announced the 25 per cent tariff on goods being shipped to the US and for the first time threatened unspecified penalties for buying Russian oil. Trump has said that from Friday he will impose new sanctions on Russia as well as on countries that buy its energy exports, unless Moscow takes steps to end the war with Ukraine. The trade tensions have caused concern about the potential impact on India's economy. The equity benchmark BSE Sensex .BSESN closed down 0.38 per cent, while the rupee dropped 0.17 per cent versus the dollar.
