Donald Trump has strongly denied claims regarding a controversial letter allegedly written to Jeffrey Epstein, which reportedly contained typewritten text and a doodle of a naked woman, accompanied by Trump's signature. In a vehement post on Truth Social, the former president condemned the publication of the letter as “fake” and announced his intention to sue the newspaper responsible for the report.
The existence of the letter has not been independently verified by POLITICO. Following the initial report, Trump continued his attack on the news outlet, stating in another post on Truth Social: “I look forward to getting Rupert Murdoch to testify in my lawsuit against him and his ‘pile of garbage’ newspaper,” describing the upcoming legal proceedings as “an interesting experience!!!” The Wall Street Journal, which published the report, declined to comment on Trump’s legal threats.
In the wake of the Wall Street Journal article, several prominent figures within the MAGA movement rushed to defend Trump. Notably, right-wing activist Laura Loomer and former Trump confidante Elon Musk, both of whom have previously voiced concerns regarding Trump's administration's approach to the Epstein case, expressed their support. Additionally, House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had recently diverged from Trump’s stance by calling for the Department of Justice to release all information related to the Epstein files for the sake of “transparency,” appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” to denounce the letter’s existence.
During his appearance, Johnson remarked, “The president and I talked about that ridiculous allegation this morning. He said it’s patently absurd. He’s never drawn such a picture. He’s never thought of drawing such a picture. And he said, ‘Did you see the language of this bogus supposed communication?’” Johnson emphasized that Trump is “so frustrated by it.”
Trump has consistently attempted to downplay scrutiny surrounding the Epstein case, labeling the entire situation as a “hoax” orchestrated by Democrats. This has become increasingly relevant as outcry grows among his supporters regarding his administration's management of information related to Epstein. Many of Trump's loyalists, who have long speculated about potential government conspiracies hidden within a supposed “client list” in the Epstein files, found their theories challenged when a recent joint report from the FBI and the Department of Justice revealed no evidence of such a list.
Despite the White House and attorney general Pam Bondi asserting that there is no new information to divulge about Epstein, Trump took decisive action shortly after the Wall Street Journal report, ordering the attorney general to commence unsealing grand jury testimony related to his case. However, this process is likely to encounter significant challenges, as courts typically resist lifting the stringent secrecy provisions that apply in such matters.
