House Democrats Release Trump Epstein Birthday Letter, Fueling Scandal
A Crude Note Resurfaces
WASHINGTON, D.C. — House Democrats on Monday released a screenshot of a 2003 letter allegedly signed by Donald Trump and included in Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday scrapbook. The letter, now public for the first time, features a cryptic conversation between Trump and Epstein scrawled inside a hand-drawn outline of a woman’s torso, with Trump’s signature appearing just below the hips.
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the existence of the letter in July, describing it as “bawdy” and attributing it to Trump. At the time, Trump forcefully denied the story, saying, “These are not my words, not the way I talk.” He promptly filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Journal and Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.
White House Dismissals and Legal Threats
Within hours of Monday’s release, Trump’s allies scrambled to contain the damage. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted on X that the publication of the letter “PROVES this entire ‘Birthday Card’ story is false,” declaring:
“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it. President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”
Deputy White House Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich doubled down, circulating images of Trump’s recent signatures to argue that the handwriting in the 2003 note was not his. But handwriting experts and archival reviews have noted that Trump’s autograph has shifted dramatically over the decades, with earlier examples more closely resembling the Epstein letter. A 2016 New York Times analysis of Trump’s personal letters highlighted signatures strikingly similar to the one now in question.
Political Fallout and Oversight Committee Divide
The release of the Epstein “birthday book” comes as the House Oversight Committee continues to investigate records tied to Epstein’s finances and social network. Democrats say the Trump note is evidence of deeper ties. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA), ranking member on the committee, said the document shows Trump is “involved in a cover up” of his relationship with Epstein.
Republicans, however, sought to shift attention elsewhere. Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) accused Democrats of “cherry-picking documents and politicizing information received from the Epstein Estate today,” and pledged to pursue additional Epstein bank records instead. Comer added that Trump “is not accused of any wrongdoing” by the committee. Later in the day, the GOP majority released a full cache of more than 350 pages of Epstein-related documents turned over by the financier’s estate.
Trump’s Complicated History with Epstein
Trump and Epstein were once publicly friendly, socializing in Palm Beach and New York in the 1990s and early 2000s. Trump famously remarked in 2002 that Epstein “likes them on the younger side,” a comment that has come under renewed scrutiny. By the mid-2000s, however, Trump claimed to have cut ties with Epstein.
Since taking office, Trump’s association with Epstein has become a major liability. On the campaign trail, he encouraged conspiracy theories about the financier’s death in federal custody, even hinting he might release all “Epstein files.” But in office, his Justice Department offered only limited disclosures, later declaring in a July memo that no further releases were warranted a move that angered both Democrats and segments of his own base.
Maxwell’s Role and Ongoing Appeals
The scrapbook itself was compiled in part by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for conspiring to traffic minors. In a July interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell said she could not recall who contributed to the birthday book, remarking, “It’s been so long.” She is currently petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to review her conviction.
A Scandal With No End in Sight
The resurfacing of the birthday letter keeps Trump tethered to Epstein’s legacy at a moment when he is already besieged by lawsuits and criminal trials. The White House strategy aggressive denial paired with billion-dollar lawsuits has so far amplified rather than extinguished the story. For Democrats, the letter is a smoking gun in a larger narrative of secrecy and abuse. For Republicans, it is a distraction. But for the public, the image of Trump’s signature beneath the outline of a woman’s torso on a sex offender’s birthday card is a haunting reminder of how deeply Epstein’s shadow stretches across American power.
Sources
- The Wall Street Journal – Epstein birthday book report
- CNBC – Trump Epstein letter and drawing from ‘birthday book’ released
- The Guardian – Release of sexually suggestive Epstein ‘birthday book’ piles pressure on Trump
- Politico – White House would support handwriting expert’s examination of Epstein birthday letter
- Reuters – Trump’s name surfaces in 2003 Epstein birthday letter
- Associated Press – Trump note to Epstein that he denies writing is released by Congress
- New York Times – Trump’s letters and signatures reviewed (2016 archival report)
- Washington Post – Trump–Epstein birthday book drawing release
