On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump once again denied writing a provocative birthday note to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, following its public release on Monday.
In July, The Wall Street Journal revealed the existence of this alleged 2003 letter, leading Trump to file a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the publication and its owners.
The letter, a typewritten note within a drawing of a nude woman—bearing Trump’s supposed signature in an inappropriate spot—was among numerous notes Epstein’s friends sent, compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for his 50th birthday.
On Monday, the House Oversight Committee released a copy of this collection and other documents subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate.
“That’s not my signature and those aren’t my words,” Trump told reporters Tuesday evening during a rare outing in the US capital.
“Anyone familiar with me knows I don’t speak like that. It’s nonsense. You’re wasting your time,” he asserted.
The letter features a brief exchange between “Donald” and “Jeffrey,” where Donald notes that “enigmas never age.”
It concludes with well-wishes for Jeffrey’s birthday, adding: “may every day be another wonderful secret.”
– Handwriting Expert? –
Trump’s allies argue the signature isn’t genuine, citing differences from documents signed since his presidency began in 2017.
However, The New York Times recently published letters from the late 1990s and early 2000s where Trump’s signature closely resembles that on the 2003 letter.
When asked if a professional handwriting analysis would be allowed, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday: “We’d support that.”
Epstein, a wealthy financier with global connections, was convicted of sex offenses and found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019, awaiting trial for alleged sex trafficking of underage girls.
Controversy around Epstein has haunted Trump for months, as his administration confirmed Epstein’s death as suicide and dismissed the need for more case files, despite having previously spurred conspiracy theories of hidden misdeeds.
Trump’s past ties to Epstein have been exploited by political adversaries, with Trump and his allies downplaying the situation as a Democratic “hoax.”
Following the letter’s release, Leavitt claimed on social media that “it’s evident President Trump did not create or sign this drawing.”
“This is FAKE NEWS continuing the Democrat Epstein Hoax!” she stated.
When asked to clarify which part was a hoax, given the documents were from Epstein’s estate, Leavitt said: “I didn’t call the documents a hoax. I said the narrative around Epstein now dominating liberal channels is a hoax pushed by opportunistic Democrats against the president.”
