A recently surfaced Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report has brought public attention to US President Donald Trump’s past association with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender.
This time, the focus is on a controversial birthday letter allegedly penned by Trump for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003 — a letter Trump now forcefully denies ever writing.
Explosive letter in ‘gift album’ revisited
According to WSJ, the letter was part of a leather-bound “gift album” compiled by Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell and numerous friends to celebrate his birthday, which fell on January 20, 2003. That was three years before Epstein’s first arrest in 2006 on charges involving sex crimes.
The letter, accessed by WSJ, contains a scripted third-person conversation—set up like a mock-dialogue—between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. It allegedly reads:
- Voice Over: “There must be more to life than having everything.”
- Donald: “Yes, there is, but I won’t tell you what it is.”
- Jeffrey: “Nor will I, since I also know what it is.”
- Donald: “We have certain things in common, Jeffrey.”
Jeffrey: “Yes, we do, come to think of it.” - Donald: “Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?”
- Jeffrey: “As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.”
- Trump: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
What has made the letter more controversial is the manner of presentation. It was typewritten within the crude, hand-drawn silhouette of a nude woman, with Trump’s first name “Donald” scribbled near the figure’s pubic area, resembling pubic hair, the report claims.
Trump calls the report ‘fake’ and denies involvement
Trump, now 79 and concurrently campaigning for the 2026 midterms with an eye on returning to the national spotlight, categorically denied authoring the letter when contacted by WSJ.
“This is not me. This is a fake thing. It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story,” Trump said. “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women. It’s not my language. It’s not my word.”
The letter was reportedly collected by investigators and reviewed by the Justice Department during inquiries into Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. While some details were shared during prior DOJ proceedings, this specific artistic letter — with the explicit imagery and cryptic dialogue — hadn’t previously circulated in the public domain.
Resurfacing amid new DOJ memo and Musk allegations
The renewed public interest in the Trump-Epstein connection arrives on the heels of a July 6, 2025 memo released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), stating that no further information regarding the Epstein-Maxwell investigation would be released. The memo incited backlash from both civil liberties advocates and segments of the political spectrum demanding transparency around Epstein’s alleged “client list.”
Fueling the controversy further were recent allegations made by tech billionaire and former Trump ally, Elon Musk, who claimed earlier this month that Trump’s name was included in Epstein’s private “client network.” Although unverified and not backed by court documents, the allegations created fresh speculation.
Musk, once referred to by Trump as his “first buddy,” has since distanced himself from the former president after the 2024 election cycle.
Trump and Epstein: A complicated history
Trump’s relationship with Epstein has long been under scrutiny. The two were known to socialize in Palm Beach and New York circles in the 1990s and early 2000s. In a 2002 quote to New York Magazine, Trump famously said about Epstein:
“He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
However, by the mid-2000s, Trump claimed he had distanced himself from Epstein and publicly stated they had a “falling out.” He has consistently denied any wrongdoing or criminal association with Epstein and maintains that he was the only high-profile figure to fully cooperate with authorities in the early investigations.
Over the years, photos and flight logs have been pored over by the media and investigators, raising questions but yielding no formal indictments linking Trump to Epstein’s crimes.
Political fallout and public reaction
Though Trump remains defiant, the resurfacing of these materials presents renewed political risks as the former president positions himself as the de facto leader of the Republican party. Critics say his continued ties — even if historical — to Epstein damage his moral standing, especially with moderate voters.
Meanwhile, the decision by the DOJ to withhold additional details on Epstein’s vast network of contacts has further angered critics who see it as a lack of accountability for the powerful.
Despite denying the letter and its contents, the graphic and suggestive nature of the alleged Trump-Epstein correspondence is likely to bring ongoing scrutiny as the public demands clarity over Epstein’s long list of elite relationships — and whether those relationships shielded predators from the consequences of the law.
