Former President Donald Trump has strongly denied a report from the Wall Street Journal that claimed he wrote a controversial birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein. The report alleged that the letter, which Trump supposedly wrote, included a sketch of a naked woman. Trump labeled the story as "fake" and announced plans to sue the publication.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Trump asserted, “This is not me. This is a fake thing.” He later expanded on his comments, stating that Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Wall Street Journal, and editor-in-chief Emma Tucker were warned directly that the letter was not real. Trump emphasized that if they published the story, he would take legal action.
The Wall Street Journal claimed to have obtained a letter bearing Trump’s name, which was part of a birthday book for Epstein. The article described the letter as being framed within a drawing of a naked woman, supposedly created with a heavy marker. However, the paper did not provide an image of the letter, and it mentioned that it was included in a collection of documents referred to as the “Epstein files.” The Department of Justice and the FBI did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment.
This controversy comes amid renewed scrutiny of Epstein following a recent announcement from the DOJ stating there would be no significant new disclosures about him. The DOJ also clarified that there was no evidence of a “client list” and confirmed that there was no reason to question Epstein’s death.
In response to the allegations, Trump has sought to clarify his past relationship with Epstein. He pointed out that he had previously asked his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to release any relevant Grand Jury testimony related to Epstein. Bondi stated she was prepared to move forward to unseal the grand jury transcripts.
Trump’s rebuttal to the Wall Street Journal article suggested that if the letter were genuine, it would have emerged during past investigations led by figures like James Comey and Hillary Clinton. He questioned why such a letter would have remained undisclosed for so long, especially during the Biden administration.
While Trump and Epstein were known to have been acquaintances in New York City, there is no evidence linking Trump to any of Epstein’s illegal activities. Notably, Epstein was not accused of sexual misconduct involving minors until years after he and Trump had a falling out.
Despite the ongoing discussions about Epstein, recent polling indicates that Trump’s approval ratings among Republican voters have actually increased since the news broke. This suggests that the controversy may not significantly impact Trump’s support within his party.