President Donald Trump has declined to comment on the controversial letter he purportedly signed for Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday book back in 2003. When approached by NBC News, Trump labeled the matter as a “dead issue,” stating, “I don’t comment on something that’s a dead issue. I gave all comments to the staff,” during an interview on Tuesday morning.
On Monday, the House Oversight Committee released an image of the alleged birthday message sent by Trump, following the committee's acquisition of documents and communications from Epstein's estate. Trump has firmly denied writing the letter, dismissing it as fake after the Wall Street Journal initially reported on the birthday book and his supposed contribution in mid-July. In response, Trump has filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the newspaper.
Dow Jones, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal, stated it has complete confidence in the accuracy of its reporting. The White House also backed Trump on Monday, asserting that the signature on the birthday message does not belong to him. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated, “As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.” She confirmed that Trump’s legal team will vigorously pursue the ongoing litigation.
Despite Trump’s reluctance to delve into the latest developments, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, criticized the Democrats on the panel for their management of the documents from Epstein's estate. Comer stated, “The Democrats, they find one thing in there, and they promote it and try to get a narrative. This investigation is about providing justice and accountability for the victims.”
Comer also indicated that the committee anticipates receiving additional documents as part of its ongoing probe into Epstein. “We’ve got a lot more documents we expect to get in. We’re going to bring a lot of people in for deposition, so this investigation is moving along very rapidly, and hopefully, we’ll get some answers and some justice very soon,” he added.
In light of the recent disclosures, Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, emphasized that Trump has more questions to answer regarding his ties to Epstein. Garcia stated, “The Oversight Committee has secured the infamous 'Birthday Book' that contains a note from President Trump that he has said does not exist. It’s time for the President to tell us the truth about what he knew and release all the Epstein files. The American people are demanding answers.”
Jeffrey Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and faced serious charges in a federal indictment for conspiracy and child sex trafficking. Tragically, he died in custody just a month later while awaiting trial, with his death officially ruled a suicide by hanging.
