International News: The relationship between US President Donald Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein is once again in the news. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently published a story claiming that Trump wrote an inappropriate letter to Epstein on his 50th birthday, which included a drawing of a nude woman. The letter was reportedly part of a "birthday album" prepared by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former partner. The revelation has sparked a new debate over the relationship between Trump and Epstein.
The letter, addressed to Trump, was prepared for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The letter contained a few typed lines, surrounded by a drawing of a nude woman. The drawing was reportedly described as "hand-drawn" and included a pair of breasts and the signature "Donald" over an intimate area. The letter concluded with the note: "Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful mystery." Inside the letter was a typed fictional dialogue, written in the third person. The dialogue began with a note: "There should be more to life than everything."
Conversation between Trump and Epstein
The hypothetical conversation between Trump and Epstein then goes like this: Trump: Yes, there is, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. Jeffrey: Neither will I, because I know what it is. Donald: We have some things in common, Jeffrey. Jeffrey: Yes, now that I think about it, we do. Donald: Secrets never get old; have you noticed that? Jeffrey: Actually, it was clear to me the last time I saw you. Trump It's wonderful to have a friend. Happy birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.
Trump's denial and legal threat
After the report was published, Trump flatly denied writing the letter or drawing the drawings. He threatened to file a lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, News Corp, and Rupert Murdoch. Trump said, "This is not me. This is a fake thing. This is a fake story from the Wall Street Journal ... I have never drawn any pictures in my life. I don't draw pictures of women ... This is not my language. These are not my words." He wrote on his Truthout social platform, "The press needs to learn the truth and not rely on sources that probably don't even exist.
Others in the Birthday Album
The birthday album was compiled before Epstein's first arrest in 2006 and was part of the documents reviewed by the US Justice Department during its investigation into Epstein and Maxwell. It is unclear whether the documents were part of the Trump administration's recent review. According to the Wall Street Journal, the album included "poems, photographs, and well wishes written by business tycoons, academics, Epstein's former girlfriends, and childhood friends." These included people such as billionaire Leslie Wexner, the longtime leader of Victoria's Secret, and lawyer Alan Dershowitz.
Long-standing relationship
In the 1990s and early 2000s, Trump and Epstein were often seen together at social events, including those attended by Maxwell and First Lady Melania Trump. A 1992 NBC tape shows the two partying at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump's and former President Bill Clinton's names also appear several times in the flight log of Epstein's private jet. In a 2002 New York magazine profile, Trump said of Epstein, "I've known Jeff for 15 years. Wonderful guy ... It's fun to spend time with him. It is also said that he likes beautiful women, like me, and many of them are young. There is no doubt about it—Jeffrey enjoys his social life."
Fresh Storm Over Epstein Link
However, before Epstein's first arrest in 2006 and his suicide in 2019, the two claimed they had a falling out. According to Trump, their friendship ended in 2008, before Epstein was convicted of soliciting the prostitution of a minor. After Epstein's arrest in 2019, Trump said in the Oval Office, "I knew him like everybody else in Palm Beach ... I was not a fan of his; I can tell you that." In 2023, a Trump spokeswoman told The Wall Street Journal that Trump had banned Epstein from his Mar-a-Lago club at some point in the past, though she did not elaborate.
