Trump mired in Epstein controversy as Wall Street Journal reports on
2003 letter
[July 18, 2025]
By ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER
WASHINGTON (AP) — The controversy over President Donald Trump ’s
handling of records from the Jeffrey Epstein investigation entered a new
dimension Thursday as his administration struggles to make good on its
promises to release details on the sex trafficking case involving a
one-time friend of the now-president.
Trump promised a lawsuit after The Wall Street Journal described a
sexually suggestive letter that the newspaper says bore Trump’s name and
was included in a 2003 album for Epstein’s 50th birthday. Trump denied
writing the letter, calling it “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
It came after Trump in recent days has berated as “weaklings” supporters
vying for more records from the Epstein probe, after years of courting
political support from those who have stoked claims of a coverup in the
case to protect wealthy friends of Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019
awaiting trial on federal charges of trafficking of underage girls.
Trump has also shielded his attorney general from being questioned about
the case after she walked back claims of the existence of a “client
list” of elites who participated in Epstein’s crimes, and has even taken
to claiming without evidence that files were doctored by Democrats.
In an administration that prides itself on changing the narrative on
negative storylines, the Epstein saga has had remarkable staying power,
thanks in part to infighting at high levels of government, Trump’s
blistering criticism of his own base and the head-scratching mystery of
why documents his own administration promised to unlock will remain
buried — seemingly for good.
Thursday’s disclosure — coupled with frustration from Trump-allied
lawmakers on Capitol Hill — pushed Trump to abruptly reverse course and
direct Attorney General Pam Bondi to try to make some of the documents
in the case public.
Bondi said she would seek court permission Friday to release grand jury
information, but it would require a judge’s approval, and she and Trump
were silent on the additional evidence collected by federal law
enforcement in the sprawling investigation that Bondi last week
announced she would not release.
A newly revealed letter to Epstein
The letter revealed by The Wall Street Journal was reportedly collected
by disgraced British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell as part of a birthday
album for Epstein years before the wealthy financier was first arrested
in 2006 and subsequently had a falling-out with Trump. The letter
bearing Trump’s name includes text framed by the outline of what appears
to be a hand-drawn naked woman and ends with, “Happy Birthday — and may
every day be another wonderful secret,” according to the newspaper. The
outlet described the contents of the letter but did not publish a photo
showing it entirely.
Maxwell was arrested in 2020 and convicted a year later on charges that
she helped Epstein lure girls to be sexually abused.
Trump slammed the story in a lengthy social media post Thursday night,
saying he spoke to both to the paper’s owner, Rupert Murdoch, and its
top editor, Emma Tucker, and told them the letter was “fake.” Trump
promised to sue the paper over the story, saying: “These are not my
words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.”
Vice President JD Vance said The Wall Street Journal “should be ashamed”
for publishing it.
“Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed
it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds
like Donald Trump?” he wrote on X.
Trump tries to move on
The Trump administration has been struggling for nearly two weeks to
contain the fallout of the Justice Department’s announcement that no
more Epstein evidence in the government's possession would be released
to the public despite promises of transparency from Bondi. The Justice
Department’s reversal on the Epstein files not only angered Trump
supporters but touched off a testy exchange at the White House last week
between Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino that neither official
has publicly addressed.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters
in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Thursday,
July 17, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Justice Department has yet to provide a full accounting of its
reversal months after Bondi handed out binders to conservative
influencers at the White House that read the “Epstein Files: Phase
1” and “the most transparent administration.” Bondi earlier this
week refused to answer questions from reporters about the Epstein
files and her relationship with Bongino.
The White House on Thursday closed the door on calls for a further
inquiry into the Epstein investigation, saying the president would
not be recommending the appointment of a special counsel.
Even though his administration for months had hyped the expected
release of more documents, Trump slammed his own supporters earlier
this week for their furor over the Epstein files saga. Trump called
it a “hoax” and tried to place blame on Democrats, accusing former
Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as well as former FBI
Director James Comey — without evidence — of making up such
documents.
Earlier Thursday, the controversy over the Epstein files had snarled
the House’s efforts to pass a bill that claws back $9.4 billion in
federal spending, as Democrats used procedural moves to force votes
on releasing the documents in tandem with the package.
That frustrated House Republicans, who tried to forge a solution
that could include a resolution supporting the release of “credible”
files pertaining to Epstein and his activities.
Trump is no stranger to scrutiny
Trump himself has faced years of scrutiny over his own private life.
Last year, for instance, he was convicted of felony charges in New
York in connection with hush money payments meant to silence an
adult film star’s sex claims ahead of the 2016 presidential
election. Trump has denied the relationship.
And Trump’s ties to Epstein have been well-documented, though the
president has not been accused of misconduct in connection with
their social relationship.
Video footage unearthed by NBC News following Epstein’s federal
indictment in 2019 showed the two chatting at a party at Trump’s
Mar-a-Lago estate in 1992. The video, recorded at a time when Trump
was newly divorced, shows him surrounded by young women, whom NBC
identified as cheerleaders for the Buffalo Bills.
It also depicts the two men standing and gesturing at the women on
the dance floor.
“I knew him like everybody in Palm Beach knew him,” Trump said when
the video emerged. “He was a fixture in Palm Beach. I had a
falling-out with him a long time ago. I don’t think I’ve spoken to
him for 15 years.”
Previously released files included a 2016 deposition in which an
accuser recounted spending several hours with Epstein at Trump’s
Atlantic City casino but didn’t say if she actually met Trump and
did not accuse him of any wrongdoing.
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Associated Press reporters Seung Min Kim and Lisa Mascaro in
Washington contributed to this report.
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