Former President Donald Trump has vehemently denied a report claiming he wrote a lewd birthday note to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. This denial comes in the wake of Trump's announcement that he plans to sue the Wall Street Journal over the article, which alleges that the inappropriate birthday greeting was sent shortly before Epstein faced serious legal issues related to sexual crimes.
The Wall Street Journal claims that the letter, purportedly sent on Epstein's 50th birthday, is framed with a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman. The note reportedly contains typewritten text that mimics a fictional conversation between Trump and Epstein, concluding with the phrase: "A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret." Trump has publicly dismissed the letter as a forgery, stating, "These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures."
In a social media post, Trump asserted that both the Wall Street Journal and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, were warned that they would face a lawsuit if they published the story, labeling it as false, malicious, and defamatory. The newspaper reported that the letter was part of a collection of birthday greetings compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of Epstein who was convicted in 2021 for her role in sex trafficking.
The controversy surrounding Trump and Epstein has evolved over the years, particularly during Trump's presidency. Here’s a timeline of significant events related to the Epstein case:
21 February: Attorney General Pam Bondi states on Fox News that a list of Epstein’s clients is "sitting on my desk right now," prompting the White House to clarify that she was referring to all files related to Epstein's crimes.28 February: Bondi accuses federal investigators of withholding thousands of documents tied to Epstein and requests the FBI to release all related information.26 April: Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew and Epstein of sexual assault, tragically dies by suicide at age 41; the prince has consistently denied wrongdoing.6 June: Tech billionaire Elon Musk suggests on social media that Trump is "in the Epstein files," referencing court documents. The White House dismisses the claim, and Musk later deletes the post.7 July: The US Department of Justice and FBI release a report stating that Epstein did not possess a client list that would implicate high-profile individuals and confirmed that he took his own life, countering long-held conspiracy theories.17 July: Trump requests Bondi to release any relevant Grand Jury testimony related to Epstein, citing excessive media coverage of the issue.Recently, Trump expressed his desire for transparency regarding the Epstein case. He instructed his attorney general to produce any pertinent grand jury testimony, although it remains unclear whether he refers to the early 2000s cases or the federal charges brought against Epstein in 2019. The BBC has reached out to the White House for further clarification.
In a recent statement, Trump urged Bondi to release "whatever she thinks is credible" concerning the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, while also questioning the public's ongoing fascination with the case, labeling it as "sordid but boring." This stance has led to a rare backlash from some of his supporters, as Trump attempts to distance himself from the disgraced financier's legacy.
Despite Trump's efforts to move on from the Epstein controversy, prominent allies like House Speaker Mike Johnson have called for greater transparency regarding the matter. Last week, a memo released by the Department of Justice and FBI supported the conclusion that Epstein did not maintain a client list implicating high-profile associates and confirmed his death as a suicide, thus contradicting numerous conspiracy theories.
Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump made promises to declassify files related to Epstein, including a much-anticipated "list" of individuals associated with the financier. As developments continue to unfold, the public remains keenly interested in the implications of Trump's connections to Epstein and the ongoing quest for transparency in this controversial case.
