Recently, Democrats in Congress unveiled a note that they claim was signed by former US President Donald Trump and sent to the notorious financier Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003. This revelation comes after Epstein's estate submitted documents to the House Oversight Committee, following a subpoena issued last month. The Democratic members of the committee took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to share a copy of the alleged birthday note, which includes a controversial drawing of a woman's body.
The White House has firmly denied any connection to the drawing or the note itself. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated, “President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.” This statement aligns with Trump's previous response to the note's details when they were first published by the Wall Street Journal in July. At that time, Trump labeled the note as a fake, asserting, “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures.” Following this, he initiated legal action against the Wall Street Journal, targeting its reporters, publisher, and News Corp's owner Rupert Murdoch, and seeking an astounding $10 billion in damages.
Following the release of the note on Monday, Leavitt reiterated that Trump's legal team would persist in their litigation efforts. She emphasized, “It's very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.” The note posted by the Democrats includes several lines of text, ending with the message: “Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The Oversight Committee's post accompanying the image raised questions about the implications of Trump mentioning a “wonderful secret” shared with Epstein, prompting them to demand further transparency with the phrase, “Release the files!”
In the wake of these allegations, the House Oversight Committee issued a legal summons to the executors of Epstein's estate, requesting various documents, including a birthday book that allegedly contains the note from Trump. The publisher of the Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, expressed confidence in the integrity of their reporting when these details first emerged.
On Monday, ranking Democrat Robert Garcia voiced his concerns, stating, “President Trump called the Epstein investigation a hoax and claimed that his birthday note didn't exist. Now we know that Donald Trump was lying and is doing everything he can to cover up the truth.” To further contest the authenticity of the note, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich shared images of Trump's verified signature on X, asserting, “Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it's not his signature. DEFAMATION!”
Historically, Trump and Epstein maintained a friendly relationship for several years, but the former President has claimed that their friendship soured in the early 2000s after Epstein allegedly poached employees from Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Epstein's criminal history began in 2006 when he was indicted in Florida on charges of solicitation of prostitution. Tragically, he died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on various charges.
This ongoing controversy underscores the complex relationship between Trump and Epstein, highlighting the potential legal and political ramifications for Trump as the investigation continues.
