Democrats in the US Congress have published what they say is a note from President Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday, intensifying a dispute over its authenticity.
The document, part of a “birthday book” created by Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003, was released by the House Oversight Committee after Epstein’s estate provided it under subpoena.
The note is formatted around the outline of a woman’s body and presents a dialogue between “Donald” and “Jeffrey.” It includes lines such as:
- Donald: “Yes, there is, but I won’t tell you what it is.”
- Jeffrey: “Nor will I, since I also know what it is.”
- Donald: “Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?”
- Donald: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
The page ends with the printed name “Donald J. Trump” and a stylised signature resembling Trump’s.
The White House quickly rejected the claim, saying: “President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt added that Trump’s legal team “will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”
Trump himself previously dismissed the note after the Wall Street Journal reported on it in July, calling it “a fake thing” and adding: “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.” He has since launched a lawsuit against the Journal, its reporters, and executives, including Rupert Murdoch.
Dow Jones, the Journal’s publisher, has defended its reporting, stating it had “full confidence in the rigour and accuracy of our reporting.”
On X, White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted examples of Trump’s authentic signature, writing: “Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION!”
Trump and Epstein were socially connected in the 1990s but reportedly fell out in the early 2000s when Epstein poached staff from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Epstein was indicted in 2006 on charges of solicitation of prostitution and died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.