Reported birthday card from Trump to Epstein shines new light on their friendship
A report from The Wall Street Journal on Thursday uncovers new details about the relationship between the president and disgraced financier and convicted sex offender, whose death and connections to Trump are at the center of an explosive feud between his allies and right-wing figures demanding more information about the case.
A letter bearing Trump's name, which the report claims was reviewed by The Journal , contains several lines of typewritten text framed by a drawing of a naked woman. His signature is a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair, according to the report.
The letter is reported to conclude: 'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.'
In an interview with The Journal, Trump denied writing the letter or drawing the picture: 'This is not me. This is a fake thing. It's a fake Wall Street Journal story.'
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein pictured in 1992. A new report shed new light on the friendship between the two men (NBC News)
'I never wrote a picture in my life. I don't draw pictures of women,' he told the conservative-leaning newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, who has over the years supported Trump.
'It's not my language. It's not my words,' Trump told the newspaper.
Following The Journal 's report, the president said he intends to sue the outlet and parent company News Corp — then instructed Attorney General Pam Bondi to 'produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony' related to the case, 'subject to Court approval.'
He claimed on his Truth Social account that the newspaper printed a 'false, malicious, and defamatory story' after Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt personally warned Murdoch and editor Emma Tucker against running it.
In another Truth Social post around 10 p.m. Thursday, the president said, 'The Wall Street Journal printed a FAKE letter, supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures. I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn't print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I'm going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DJT.'
The Journal reported a typewritten note styled as an imaginary conversation between Trump and Epstein, written in the third person, is included inside the outline of the naked woman, in Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein.
The newspaper claims to have reviewed pages from a leather-bound album of birthday cards that were examined by Department of Justice officials who investigated Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, who was found guilty of child sex trafficking and other offenses in 2022.
In the imagined conversation, Trump reportedly says 'we have certain things in common, Jeffrey,' to which Epstein replies, 'Yes, we do, come to think of it.'
'Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?' Trump writes, according to The Journal.
Epstein died while in prison facing sex trafficking charges. While conspiracies have swirled about his 'client list,' Trump officials have recently said that no list exists ()
The revelation follows a disastrous week for the Trump administration as the president repeatedly tries to dismiss the so-called Epstein files as a Democratic 'hoax.'
Thursday's report illustrates a closer than previously reported relationship between the president and Epstein, who was accused of sexually abusing dozens of minors before he was found dead in his jail cell in 2019.
A Justice Department memo on July 6 had effectively closed the case, affirming that no such 'client list' exists despite demands from Trump's supporters and allies for a full accounting of Epstein's death and alleged ties to a wider child trafficking conspiracy implicating powerful figures.
On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised to release FBI files related to Epstein, who was found dead in his jail cell on on August 10, 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. But the president's promises fell flat.
Bondi, on Trump's directive, also promised to release the files, but after months of delays, the memo from the Justice Department and FBI said agencies would not be releasing any more documents relating to the case.
Bondi had claimed the files were 'sitting on her desk' in February. She invited right-wing influencers to the White House for a photo-op at the end of that month, where they held up binders containing 'Phase 1' of the Epstein files, largely made up of already publicly available information about the case.
Bondi continued to stall. In May, she claimed there were 'tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn,' which fueled further conspiracy theories that powerful people were being protected, and that 'Phase 1' binders were allegedly buying time.
The administration's failure to release any other details about the investigation has been a major blow for Trump's supporters — including those within Trump's own administration. Deputy FBI director Don Bongino, who last year amplified conspiracy theories that Epstein was murdered, almost walked over the memo, according to reports.
Trump has spoken out against those questioning him about the release of the Epstein files. (AP)
While the White House likely hoped MAGA's fury would blow over quickly, outrage has only intensified. Frustrated, Trump lashed out at his supporters this week and reportedly complained in private that they won't 'shut the f*** up' about the Epstein files.
Trump has spent several days publicly calling the Epstein case 'boring' and 'bulls***' as he questioned the loyalty of gullible 'weaklings' who demanded more from his Justice Department.
'Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don't even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don't want their support anymore!' Trump said in a Truth Social fury post.
Even the White House has tried to temper the fury. On July 17, Leavitt was asked whether the president would appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the Epstein case.
'The president would not recommend a special prosecutor in the Epstein case,' Leavitt said. 'That's how he feels. And as for his discussions with the attorney general, I'm not sure.'
Trump's friendship with Epstein spanned the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and Trump's phone number — as well as First Lady Melania Trump's — were included in Epstein's infamous leaked address books. Trump's name also appeared seven times in passenger logs for Epstein's planes.
The pair reportedly fell out in 2004, when Epstein and Trump both tried to buy a Palm Beach estate. The next year, the FBI began investigating Epstein for child sex trafficking. He pleaded guilty to a state charge of soliciting sex from a minor in 2008.
Trump distanced himself from his former friend after Epstein's arrest in 2019, when Trump was president.
'Well, I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him,' Trump said on July 9, 2019, one day after Epstein's arrest. 'I mean, people in Palm Beach knew him. He was a fixture in Palm Beach. I had a falling out with him a long time ago. I don't think I've spoken to him for 15 years. I wasn't a fan.'
Asked three days later what contributed to that 'falling out,' Trump said 'the reason doesn't make any difference, frankly.'
One month later, Epstein was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City.
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