White House Refutes Claims Trump Sent Birthday Message to Epstein

The White House has denied that an alleged letter from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein is authentic, stating the president “did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.”

US lawmakers released the letter, which features a drawing of a woman’s body, as part of a “birthday book” given to Epstein in 2003. The book was included in a trove of documents released by a US House committee, which also featured Epstein’s will and his personal address book containing names of royalty, celebrities, models, and politicians worldwide.

The birthday book includes a message from Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK Ambassador to the US, in which he calls Epstein “my best pal.” A spokesman for Lord Mandelson told the BBC that the ambassador “very much regretted having been introduced to Epstein.”

The House Oversight Committee last month issued a legal summons for Epstein’s estate executors to produce several documents, including the birthday book. The release comes as Trump faces growing pressure, including from his own supporters and members of the Republican Party, to be more transparent about investigations into Epstein.

During the 2024 campaign, Trump said he would be open to releasing more information but later reversed his position after assuming office, insisting the case was closed. Epstein’s victims last week added to the calls for transparency, describing the abuse they suffered and demanding the release of the so-called Epstein files.

The 238-page book contains dozens of contributions. Lord Mandelson described Epstein as an “intelligent, sharp-witted man” who “parachuted” into his life. Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s British ex-girlfriend and co-conspirator, who was convicted in 2021 of conspiring to traffic girls for sex, compiled the book for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003—three years before allegations of sex abuse became public.

The scrapbook includes submissions from high-profile politicians and business leaders. Alongside the alleged note from Trump, there is another purportedly from former President Bill Clinton, referencing Epstein’s “childlike curiosity.” A spokesperson for Clinton confirmed he knew Epstein at the time but claimed ignorance of his crimes. The BBC has contacted the Clinton Foundation and a lawyer for comment.

Prince Andrew, also a friend of Epstein, is briefly mentioned in the book. An unidentified woman’s note says she met Prince Andrew, Clinton, and Trump through Epstein and has “seen the private quarters of Buckingham Palace” and “sat on the Queen of England’s throne.” Prince Andrew has denied wrongdoing related to the Epstein case.

When the alleged Trump note was first reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, Trump called it “a fake thing” and denied writing it. He subsequently filed a $10bn lawsuit against the paper’s reporters, publisher, and executives, including News Corp owner Rupert Murdoch. The newspaper did not publish an image of the note at the time, though the description aligns with the version released by lawmakers.

Democratic lawmakers published an image of the birthday note on X ahead of the committee’s release of Epstein documents. The note allegedly from Trump features several lines of text in an imagined conversation with Epstein, ending: “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”

Trump has not commented on the note’s release, while the White House maintains that he did not contribute to the book and that the signature does not match his.

Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the Republican-led House Oversight panel, said: “Trump had claimed that his birthday note didn’t exist. Now we know that Donald Trump was lying and is doing everything he can to cover up the truth.”

In response, Republican committee chairman James Comer accused Democrats of “cherry-picking documents and politicizing information” from Epstein’s estate, adding: “Oversight Committee Republicans are focused on running a thorough investigation to bring transparency and accountability for survivors of Epstein’s heinous crimes and the American people.”

Faridah Abdulkadiri