Trump's name on 2003 birthday letter to Epstein: report
The Journal reported the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday, about three years before sex-abuse allegations emerged against the financier.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the letter.
Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls its publisher, News Corp.
"The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued," Trump wrote. "President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly."
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co, declined to comment on its story or Trump's threat to sue. Representatives for News Corp and Murdoch could not immediately be reached for comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The Journal said the letter, bearing Trump's name, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker.
The newspaper said the letter concludes "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret", and featured the signature "Donald".
Vice President JD Vance responded to the story on social media platform X, saying, "Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it."
The White House has been roiled by questions about disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, after the Justice Department concluded there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".
Some Trump supporters have demanded the release of more information on Epstein, causing a rare fracture within his base of support.
Trump posted shortly after foreshadowing legal action that he had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce all pertinent grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, subject to court approval.
"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Soon after, Bondi said on X that the Justice Department was ready to move the court on Friday, US time, to unseal the grand jury transcripts.
"President Trump - we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts," Bondi wrote.
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was compiled - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal.
Epstein died in 2019 in jail after he was arrested a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
Donald Trump's name appeared on a risque 2003 personal note to Jeffrey Epstein, the Wall Street Journal reports, but the US president says the letter is fake.
The Journal reported the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday, about three years before sex-abuse allegations emerged against the financier.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the letter.
Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls its publisher, News Corp.
"The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued," Trump wrote. "President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly."
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co, declined to comment on its story or Trump's threat to sue. Representatives for News Corp and Murdoch could not immediately be reached for comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The Journal said the letter, bearing Trump's name, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker.
The newspaper said the letter concludes "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret", and featured the signature "Donald".
Vice President JD Vance responded to the story on social media platform X, saying, "Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it."
The White House has been roiled by questions about disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, after the Justice Department concluded there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".
Some Trump supporters have demanded the release of more information on Epstein, causing a rare fracture within his base of support.
Trump posted shortly after foreshadowing legal action that he had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce all pertinent grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, subject to court approval.
"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Soon after, Bondi said on X that the Justice Department was ready to move the court on Friday, US time, to unseal the grand jury transcripts.
"President Trump - we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts," Bondi wrote.
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was compiled - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal.
Epstein died in 2019 in jail after he was arrested a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
Donald Trump's name appeared on a risque 2003 personal note to Jeffrey Epstein, the Wall Street Journal reports, but the US president says the letter is fake.
The Journal reported the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday, about three years before sex-abuse allegations emerged against the financier.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the letter.
Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls its publisher, News Corp.
"The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued," Trump wrote. "President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly."
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co, declined to comment on its story or Trump's threat to sue. Representatives for News Corp and Murdoch could not immediately be reached for comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The Journal said the letter, bearing Trump's name, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker.
The newspaper said the letter concludes "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret", and featured the signature "Donald".
Vice President JD Vance responded to the story on social media platform X, saying, "Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it."
The White House has been roiled by questions about disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, after the Justice Department concluded there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".
Some Trump supporters have demanded the release of more information on Epstein, causing a rare fracture within his base of support.
Trump posted shortly after foreshadowing legal action that he had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce all pertinent grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, subject to court approval.
"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Soon after, Bondi said on X that the Justice Department was ready to move the court on Friday, US time, to unseal the grand jury transcripts.
"President Trump - we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts," Bondi wrote.
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was compiled - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal.
Epstein died in 2019 in jail after he was arrested a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
Donald Trump's name appeared on a risque 2003 personal note to Jeffrey Epstein, the Wall Street Journal reports, but the US president says the letter is fake.
The Journal reported the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday, about three years before sex-abuse allegations emerged against the financier.
Reuters could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the letter.
Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls its publisher, News Corp.
"The Wall Street Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, were warned directly by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, if they print it, they will be sued," Trump wrote. "President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr. Murdoch, shortly."
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co, declined to comment on its story or Trump's threat to sue. Representatives for News Corp and Murdoch could not immediately be reached for comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The Journal said the letter, bearing Trump's name, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker.
The newspaper said the letter concludes "Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret", and featured the signature "Donald".
Vice President JD Vance responded to the story on social media platform X, saying, "Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it."
The White House has been roiled by questions about disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, after the Justice Department concluded there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".
Some Trump supporters have demanded the release of more information on Epstein, causing a rare fracture within his base of support.
Trump posted shortly after foreshadowing legal action that he had asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce all pertinent grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, subject to court approval.
"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval. This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Soon after, Bondi said on X that the Justice Department was ready to move the court on Friday, US time, to unseal the grand jury transcripts.
"President Trump - we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts," Bondi wrote.
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was compiled - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal.
Epstein died in 2019 in jail after he was arrested a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
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Sydney Morning Herald
7 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein: Why MAGA loyalists are abandoning the president
'I can take chicken fertiliser and sell it to 'em for caviar,' he crows, grinning. Trump's Truth Social posts backing up Pam Bondi's claim that the Epstein files were much ado about nothing showed that same brutal disregard for his devout fans. They had taken him seriously ? What fools! He tried to subdue his MAGAcolytes – his 'boys' and 'gals' – by ordering them not to 'waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.' He said that those who are focused on the 'Jeffrey Epstein hoax' are 'selfish people,' 'PAST supporters' and 'weaklings' who had been 'conned by the Lunatic Left.' If his fans couldn't focus on how great he was, better than 'perhaps any President in our Country's history,' Trump pouted in a post, 'I don't want their support anymore!' One 'gal,' a Texan named Rosie, said she was brokenhearted. She replied on Truth Social that she has four daughters and 'can't even begin to comprehend the flipped narrative that 'it was so long ago' 'why are we still talking about this' and 'nobody should care.' These victims were some ones daughters, sisters, nieces, granddaughter. Someone's child. Please reconsider, sir.' Donald and Melania Trump with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2002. Credit: Getty He has lost some of his base's trust by refusing to deliver the goods, or to acknowledge that he used people such as Kash Patel and Dan Bongino to whip up the frenzy against the paedophile who gave rides to Trump and Bill Clinton on his plane dubbed by some the Lolita Express. Trump bonded with Epstein years ago, although it's not clear if Trump knew the extent of Epstein's predations. He told New York Magazine in 2002 that Epstein 'likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.' This past week was the first time Trump had such a dramatic rift with his supporters, who are often compared to a cult. Trump, who rose to power with the help of Fox News, threatened Emma Tucker, editor of Rupert Murdoch's Wall Street Journal , trying to stop its story about a bawdy letter and drawing he allegedly contributed to a 50th birthday book that Ghislaine Maxwell compiled for Epstein. 'I'm gonna sue The Wall Street Journal just like I sued everyone else,' he said in a call Tuesday with the Journal. (He filed the suit on Friday.) He denied that he ever drew an outline of a naked woman with his name scribbled in a salacious spot, along with writing an insinuating wish to Epstein that 'every day be another wonderful secret.' (What had to be kept secret, Donald?) Loading 'I don't draw pictures,' he wrote on Truth Social, denouncing the 'FAKE letter' in the 'Fake Story.' But Trump's lies – such as the one about his uncle at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Unabomber – are falling apart almost instantaneously. It immediately came out that he was a 'high-profile doodler,' as Tyler Pager put it in The New York Times , and that he donated drawings to charity in the early 2000s. On Thursday, Trump posted that he had asked Bondi to produce 'any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval.' But judges usually keep such testimony secret. It was hilarious to see Trump hiding behind the judiciary he has tried to sideline. The president, hoping to redirect the ire of the base back to its favourite chew toy, the mainstream media, posted that the Journal is a 'Disgusting and Filthy Rag.' Natalie Winters, a reporter for Steve Bannon's War Room podcast, told Bannon that the Journal story made her feel 'gaslit' by the administration. 'I thought the DOJ had nothing related to Epstein,' she said. 'Well, this story sort of contradicts that. So why don't we release it? It's maddening.' Twisting conspiracy theories into a Gordian knot of hate, Trump is claiming some Epstein files were 'made up' by Barack Obama, James Comey, 'Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration' and 'Crooked Hillary.' It's tough to blame the deep state when you are the deep state. This article originally appeared in The New York Times .
News.com.au
11 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘In shock': Ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein again accuses Donald Trump of misconduct
An ex-girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein has resurfaced her claim that Donald Trump 'groped' her during a meeting with the sex trafficker in the early 1990s, saying the alleged incident left her 'frozen' and 'in shock'. Stacey Williams, now 57, dated Epstein more than 30 years ago, long before he was first arrested for his sex crimes. The incident she recalls, allegedly involving Mr Trump, happened in 1993. She spoke about it before last year's presidential election, and is now bringing attention to it again amid the renewed controversy around the Epstein files. 'They were best friends,' Ms Williams claimed of Mr Trump and Epstein during an interview with CNN today. 'I dated Jeffrey for a period of, more or less, I think about four or five months. And the only friend that he would mention every time we saw each other, or had a phone conversation, was Donald. They were very close, and they were up to no good. 'It was such a long time ago. But that was his bro, that was his wingman.' CNN host Brianna Keilar noted that her network had spoken to three friends of Ms Williams, who said she had spoken to them about the alleged incident contemporaneously, many years before Mr Trump entered politics. 'I want to point out that I was polygraphed, before I did all this, by one of the most renowned examiners in the world,' Ms Williams said. She also pointed to Epstein's testimony in interviews with the author Michael Wolff. 'Jeffrey confirmed to Michael what the two of them did to me,' she claimed. 'I was dating Jeffrey, and he was always talking about Donald. It was his bestie and everything. And he was joking about how Donald thought I was hot, or whatever,' she told Ms Keilar, recalling the alleged incident. 'He said, 'Let's stop in and see him.' So we went up to his office at Trump Tower. And within a couple of minutes, Donald was outside his office, and his hands were all over me. They were on my breasts, they were on my butt, they were on my hips, up and down. 'The two of them kept having a normal conversation.' Ms Williams spoke of how 'shocking' the experience was. 'When that happens in broad daylight, in an office, with assistants walking back and forth, you're in shock,' she said. 'If it happens in a dark alleyway, you fight back. But when it's brazen like that, which is Donald Trump's forte, you go into shock. 'So I froze. And it was over very quickly, it was a few minutes. And then we got back in the elevator, and Jeffrey's energy had changed.' She said Epstein was 'enraged' by the incident and, shouting, asked, 'Why would you let him do that?' once they were outside the building. Her interpretation was that Epstein expected her to resist more and was angry when she 'froze'. This all echoes an interview Ms Williams gave during last year's election campaign, which Mr Trump's spokespeople dismissed as 'fake' at the time. 'The second he was in front of me, he pulled me into him,' said Ms Williams. 'And his hands were just on me, and didn't come off. Then the hands started moving, and they were on the side of my breasts, down to my hips, back down to my butt, back up. They were just on me the whole time. And I ... sorry. I froze.' Ms Williams said she believed the incident was 'some kind of weird, twisted game' between Mr Trump and Epstein, whom she said allegedly 'smiled at each other' while it was happening. 'It's obvious this fake story was contrived by Kamala Harris's campaign,' Karoline Leavitt, who is now Mr Trump's White House Press Secretary, said at the time. According to Ms Williams, Mr Trump sent her agent a postcard later in 1993, after the alleged incident. On its front was an aerial view of his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. 'Stacey: Your home away from home. Love, Donald,' he wrote on the back. Ms Williams alleged she was 'berated' by Epstein after the encounter. 'Jeffrey and I left and he didn't look at me or speak to me, and I felt this seething rage around me, and when we got down to the sidewalk, he looked at me and just berated me, and said why did you do that?' she recounted. 'He made me feel so disgusting, and I remember being so utterly confused. 'I felt shame and disgust and as we went our separate ways. I felt this sensation of revisiting it, while the hands were all over me. 'And I had this horrible pit in my stomach that it was somehow orchestrated. I felt like a piece of meat.' Mr Trump has denied all allegations of sexual misconduct since he entered politics a decade ago. In 2023, however, he was found liable in civil court for sexually assaulting the author E. Jean Carroll, and was ordered to pay millions of dollars in damages. The judge in that case found that Mr Trump 'digitally raped Ms Carroll'. Mr Trump appealed the ruling, but that appeal was denied earlier this month. The President's personal conduct came into sharper focus, this past fortnight, after his hand-picked officials in the Justice Department and FBI reneged on their previous promises to release the so-called 'Epstein files'. Mr Trump was a friend of Epstein for about 15 years, but no evidence has ever emerged to implicate him in the sex trafficker's crimes. This week The Wall Street Journal published a story alleging Mr Trump wrote Epstein a gaudy birthday message in 2003. The note, printed inside an outline of a naked woman, said Mr Trump hoped 'every day (may) be another wonderful secret'. The President has called the note 'fake' and launched defamation proceedings against the newspaper. He has also instructed the Justice Department to release a small number of Epstein-related documents. 'I have asked the Justice Department to release all Grand Jury testimony with respect to Jeffrey Epstein, subject only to Court Approval,' said Mr Trump today. 'With that being said, and even if the Court gave its full and unwavering approval, nothing will be good enough for the troublemakers and radical left lunatics making the request. It will always be more, more, more. MAGA!' Grand jury testimony only involves evidence offered in an attempt to move a prosecution forward, which in this case means it will almost exclusively relate to Epstein and his chief co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell. That testimony will not implicate Epstein's unindicted co-conspirators, and indeed the Justice Department has requested, in its filing, that third parties remain unidentified.
AU Financial Review
an hour ago
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Donald Trump was beaming as he stood on a stage at the King Abdul Aziz International Conference Centre in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital. Dressed in a blue suit and cranberry-coloured tie, the US president was on his first scheduled trip abroad after being re-elected. Trump was attending the exclusive US-Saudi Investment Forum, and he was there to do deals, tremendous deals – deals that would Make America Great Again. Travelling with him were entrepreneurs and visionaries who also happened to be some of the world's most powerful business titans. Among them were Nvidia's Jensen Huang, Tesla's Elon Musk, Amazon's Andy Jassy and OpenAI's Sam Altman. Also present was Meg O'Neill, the 54-year-old chief executive of Woodside Energy.
