House Democrats on Monday posted on X an image of a birthday message that President Donald Trump allegedly sent to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003.
Trump has denied having anything to do with the card, which was included in a leather-bound book of birthday messages for the late convicted sex offender’s 50th birthday.
The book was among the documents that the House Oversight Committee had subpoenaed from Epstein’s estate last month.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report the existence of the card. Trump sued the Journal, its publisher and two reporters in July. A spokesperson for Dow Jones said the newspaper stood by its reporting and would “vigorously defend against any lawsuit.”
NBC News has not independently verified the Journal’s reporting. White House deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted on X that the note should help Trump’s legal case because “it’s not his signature.” He added numerous photos of Trump’s current signature, where he signed his full name.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said a Journal story about Democrats making the card public “PROVES this entire ‘Birthday Card’ story is false.
“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it,” she said in a post on X. “This is FAKE NEWS to perpetuate the Democrat Epstein Hoax!”
The Democrats’ post shows a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman with Trump’s first name signed in the pubic area, as well as a typewritten note depicting an imaginary conversation between the future president and the multimillionaire who would later be charged with sex trafficking.
“Voice Over: There must be more to life than having everything,” the note begins.
“Donald: Yes, there is, but I won’t tell you what it is,” it continues.
“Nor will I, since I also know what it is,” Jeffrey says.
Donald says, “We have certain things in common Jeffrey,” and he responds, “Yes, we do, come to think of it.”
Donald then says, “Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?” Jeffrey responds, “As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.”
It concludes with Donald telling Jeffrey that “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump’s full name is typed out above the “Donald” signature.
Trump said on his social media platform in July, “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.”
Shortly after that post, the Washington Post ran a story noting that he’d done four sketches of buildings and a bridge that had been auctioned off during his first term as president.
Days later, he amended his earlier statement while talking to reporters. “Sometimes people say, ‘Would you draw a building?’ And I’ll draw four lines and a little roof, you know, for a charity. So, but, but I’m not a drawing person. I don’t do drawings of women, that I can tell you,” he said on July 28.
In his defamation suit, Trump’s attorneys alleged the note was “nonexistent” and that “no authentic letter or drawing exists.”
His attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The version of the book that the Oversight Committee received was redacted to not show the names and faces of women and minors, according to the production cover letter sent from the Epstein estate attorneys to the committee.
The subpoena from the committee said the book had been put together by Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.
Maxwell was questioned about the existence of the book when she met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in July. She acknowledged she coordinated the project and had asked some of Epstein’s friends to contribute birthday wishes, but said she did not recall if she’d spoken to Trump about the project or whether he’d submitted anything.
Trump and Epstein were friends at one point, though the president has said they had a falling out years before Epstein’s arrest for sex trafficking.
Maxwell is appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court and her attorney has said he hopes Trump will give her a pardon.
An Oversight Committee aide said that, in addition to the birthday book, the estate also turned over Epstein’s will, the Sept. 24, 2007, nonprosecution agreement between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and Epstein; entries from Epstein’s address/contact books from Jan. 1, 1990, through Aug. 10, 2019; and information about his bank accounts.
“Committee staff will review these documents and make them public in the near future,” the aide said.
Epstein died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in New York in 2019. His death sparked years of conspiracy theories, some pushed by allies of Trump.
The case exploded back into the headlines this summer after the Justice Department and the FBI announced in an unsigned joint memo that they agreed Epstein’s death was the result of a suicide, that no other people were expected to be charged and that no further information about the case would be released.
The unexpected move sparked a furious backlash from many Trump supporters, since he and his allies had stoked conspiracy theories about the politically connected Epstein’s death and had vowed to be transparent and bring others to justice in the case.
The House Oversight Committee also subpoenaed the Justice Department for its investigative files. The DOJ has turned over about a third of the files so far, and Democrats have said that the vast majority of that material was already public.
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