WSJ Report Reveals Bill Clinton's 50th-Birthday Note to Jeffrey Epstein
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported that former President Bill Clinton was among the many well-wishers who wrote a birthday letter to sex offender and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.
Why It Matters
Clinton's name has appeared several times in documents related to Epstein, who died six years ago while in prison, and those documents and related testimony have been publicly reported on.
Thursday's report comes as President Donald Trump's administration continues grappling with the fallout from its handling of the investigation of Epstein's 2019 death, which the Department of Justice (DOJ) concluded was a suicide.
Clinton was among several powerful and wealthy figures whose names appeared in Epstein court documents released last year.
Democrats, Republicans and Trump's MAGA base have clamored to also have the complete Epstein files released to the public.
Clinton has repeatedly said he knew nothing of Epstein's "terrible crimes" while they were associated, while Trump has called Epstein a "creep" in recent weeks and also distanced himself from the disgraced businessman.
Former President Bill Clinton discusses his book "The First Gentlemen" at The 92nd Street Y on June 11 in New York City.
Former President Bill Clinton discusses his book "The First Gentlemen" at The 92nd Street Y on June 11 in New York City.
Greg Allen/Invision/AP
What To Know
According to the Journal, Clinton's note to Epstein was written in the former president's "distinctive scrawl."
"It's reassuring isn't it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends."
In May 2016, one of Epstein's alleged victims, Johanna Sjoberg, was asked about Clinton in a deposition. Sjoberg has said that she was in Epstein's circle from 2001 to 2006.
"[Epstein] said one time that Clinton likes them young, referring to girls," Sjoberg testified during the deposition.
A spokesperson for the former president declined to comment on the birthday message reviewed by the Journal and referred the outlet to a previous statement saying Clinton had cut off ties with Epstein more than a decade before he was arrested in 2019 and was unaware of his crimes.
Thursday's report from the Journal follows an article it published last week featuring a birthday letter that Trump had allegedly penned for Epstein's 50th birthday. The note featured typewritten text surrounded by the outline of a naked woman, complete with Trump's signature below the woman's waist, which was meant to mimic pubic hair.
"Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret," the note concluded, according to the Journal.
Trump and Clinton's notes were part of a trove of birthday letters that Epstein's longtime associate and former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, compiled in a leather-bound album that she gave to Epstein as a gift for his 50th birthday.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
6 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump ignites chain reaction with early redistricting gamble
The Trump White House is pushing ahead with an extraordinary effort to game the system by redrawing congressional maps ahead of the midterms. Democrats are finding it tricky to fight back. Why it matters: The push to add Republican House seats is sparking a chain reaction as the parties fight tooth-and-nail over the majority. "Why the f**k are we responding and reacting to the other side instead of taking offense on these things?" potential Texas Senate candidate Beto O'Rourke told Democrats this week. But going on offense is easier said than done: Democrats would need a court order or special election in most states where they could try to draw more favorable maps. The big picture: Republicans are hoping to pick off more than a half-dozen Democratic-held seats by redrawing congressional maps ahead of 2026. Redistricting for partisan advantage is nothing new, but it's usually done after the census every ten years. The next one's scheduled for 2030. In Texas, Trump has encouraged Republicans to embark on a redistricting project that he's said could net the party as many as five seats. In Ohio, which is required by law to redraw its House map, party strategists believe they can gain two or three seats. In Missouri, Republicans believe they can pick up another seat. Zoom in: Gov. Greg Abbott and other Texas Republicans were at first hesitant to take up redistricting, the Texas Tribune reported. After Trump's call to Abbott, it appeared on the special session agenda. Texas Democrats have limited options to push back, but have considered breaking quorum to prevent a vote on the issue. Republicans are looking to South Texas after Trump performed well with Latino voters there. It could backfire: Adding Democratic voters to GOP districts to build more Republican districts elsewhere risks turning safe seats into competitive races, said Jon Taylor, department chair and political science professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The other side: Democrats, led by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, have vowed to punch back by drawing roughly as many new Democratic seats. Newsom will need to act fast. In his case, he's suggested calling a special election to green light redistricting ahead of 2026. Newsom hosted California and Texas lawmakers in Sacramento on Friday to plot strategy. Other big Democratic states — such as New York, New Jersey and Illinois — also have redistricting limits in their state constitutions. They'll need courts to help, or push through fast amendments. Between the lines: The White House has no bigger priority in the midterms than keeping the House. " The battlefield is extremely narrow compared to 10 or 20 years ago. To the extent the GOP can widen it, on favorable terms, that's a huge advantage," said Matt Gorman, a former National Republican Congressional Committee official. Should Democrats seize the lower chamber, it would paralyze Trump's legislative agenda for his final two years in office and potentially lead to him getting impeached. Trump was impeached following the 2018 midterms, when Democrats won the House majority. The bottom line: There's already a warning sign for Republicans as they weigh redistricting.
Axios
6 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump-Epstein saga splinters the Murdoch empire
Rupert Murdoch's media empire is playing both sides of the Trump- Epstein scandal, breaking bombshell news with one hand and largely ignoring it with the other. Why it matters: The Wall Street Journal's scoop about Trump's alleged letter to Jeffrey Epstein drew national headlines — just not on Fox News. The divergence underscores how Murdoch's dual media arms serve different audiences, but the same bottom line. Driving the news: President Trump is suing the Journal and Murdoch himself and has expressed frustration with the conservative media mogul over the Epstein coverage. But there seems to be little he can do to stop one of the most unique and successful business strategies in media. In the years since Trump first took office in 2017, News Corp.'s stock has more than doubled. Shares of Fox Corp., which began trading independently in 2019 after Disney acquired 21st Century Fox, have surged 39%. Zoom in: For Trump, Murdoch's loyalty to his business goals has been both helpful and harmful. On one hand, Trump's symbiotic relationship with Fox News has been a key tenet of his campaign and governing strategy. On the other, he hasn't gotten a pass on critical reporting from the Journal. A Fox spokesperson directed Axios to its coverage of the Epstein files more broadly. In the examples Fox shared, the few that mentioned the Journal scoop focused on Trump's lawsuit or claims that the letter was fake. The Wall Street Journal did not respond to a request for comment. WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker previously told Axios the Journal is "used to being gaslit by CEOs and people in power in response to its journalism." Yes, but: Trump has limited options to punish Murdoch for reporting he doesn't like. Because Fox News isn't a broadcast network, there are few regulatory levers the president can pull to retaliate when it does occasionally step out against him. And because of the Trump administration's reliance on the network for messaging to a broad swath of conservative Americans, urging the MAGA base to quit the network wouldn't be beneficial. News Corp. does occasionally require regulatory approval for small deals, but none of them have been big enough to fundamentally disrupt its business if Trump were to come after the company. While a majority of Republicans get their news from Fox, the Journal is read by both sides of the aisle, according to a recent Pew survey. Reality check: For Murdoch, one of the most successful foreign-born businessmen in American history, this power dynamic works in his favor.
Axios
6 minutes ago
- Axios
Progressive upstarts shake up 2025 mayoral races
Left-wing challengers to sitting Democratic mayors are shaking up at least four major races this year, tapping into exploding anger at the party's establishment leaders. Why it matters: The races will offer early clues into the mood of progressive voters and the direction of the Democratic Party ahead of the midterms and the 2028 election. The big picture: Zohran Mamdani's victory in New York City's Democratic mayoral primary sparked a political earthquake after the 33-year-old democratic socialist ran a grassroots campaign focused on affordability in America's largest city. His win garnered national coverage and highlighted the divisions within the Democratic Party over its direction on the war in Gaza, anti-poverty programs and public spending. He's one of many left-wing candidates from diverse ethnic backgrounds jolting Democratic cities. In Minneapolis, state Sen. Omar Fateh, another young democratic socialist, claimed the local Democratic Party's endorsement this month for mayor over two-term sitting Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey Fateh's endorsement came at a convention of party insiders, not a citywide primary that might have been more favorable to Frey, whom critics see as too cozy with police and big business. Still, the endorsement was a significant coup for left-wing activists. It was the first rebuke of a sitting mayor by party members in more than 80 years. Fateh, the son of Somali immigrants, has supported rent control since before "freeze the rent" became a Mamdani campaign slogan. In Seattle, Katie Wilson, the co-founder and general secretary of a transit advocacy group, is seeking to unseat Mayor Bruce Harrell in a nonpartisan race. Wilson says Harrell — a lawyer who previously served three terms on the city council — has been too focused on removing homeless encampments around the city while failing to provide adequate services and shelter beds. Records show Wilson has been outpacing other challengers in fundraising. In Albuquerque, N.M., Alex Uballez, a former U.S. attorney under President Biden, is challenging fellow Democratic Mayor Tim Keller, who has faced criticism over crime, development mishaps and the police chief's behavior. Uballez, the son of a Chinese immigrant mother and an L.A. Chicano musician, is running on a progressive platform that prioritizes protecting immigrants and combating income inequality. What they're saying: "People don't feel their needs represented and they want leaders who will work as hard as they do to make things better," Uballez said in a statement to Axios. Uballez said the status quo isn't working and voters are ready for a change in Albuquerque. "Locally, career politicians backed by corporate interests have presided for years over skyrocketing costs of living and out-of-control homelessness," Wilson's campaign said in a statement. Reality check: Democratic incumbents aren't going down without a fight. They are organizing other elected Democrats to help take on the progressive upstarts while dismissing the processes that fostered the progressive mavericks' rise. For example: "This election should be decided by the entire city rather than the small group of people who became delegates," Frey campaign manager Sam Schulenberg said in a statement about the Minneapolis race. Between the lines: The races show that progressive voters are fired up and looking for candidates that reflect their values, Alexis Anderson-Reed, president of the progressive civic engagement network State Voices, tells Axios. "I'm seeing our base expanding even more, and it's becoming more multi-generational, multi-racial," Anderson-Reed said. What we're watching: The reaction by the Democratic Party to the progressive upstarts could dampen or galvanize left-leaning voters ahead of the 2026 midterms.
