In 2003, a collection of birthday letters intended for Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday featured a note attributed to Donald Trump, which has recently drawn media attention. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, the letter includes a crude sketch of a naked woman, with "Donald" written in place of pubic hair. The note concludes with the phrase, "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."
During an interview, Trump denied authorship of the letter and the accompanying drawing, asserting, "I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women." He threatened legal action against the Journal if they published the story, claiming the language used in the letter did not reflect his style.
The letter is part of an album assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell, a known associate of Epstein, who has since been convicted of sex trafficking. Maxwell collected letters from various personalities for Epstein’s birthday, which were later examined by the Justice Department during an investigation into Epstein, who was charged in 2019 with sex trafficking minors before dying in his jail cell under controversial circumstances labelled a suicide.
The Journal‘s findings may exacerbate scrutiny of Trump’s handling of the Justice Department’s review into Epstein, a topic already causing unrest among his supporters. While the department recently reaffirmed Epstein’s death by suicide and declared there were no significant documents to release, many of Trump’s backers remain frustrated, as they expected full disclosure of Epstein-related files.
In light of the backlash, Trump has branded the situation as a "hoax," encouraging his supporters to move on from the Epstein issue, which he described on Truth Social as a "SCAM" that they had fallen victim to.
This incident features prominently in a larger narrative regarding Trump’s connections with Epstein and has resurfaced amid ongoing discussions about accountability and justice related to prominent figures involved in Epstein’s network. The controversial letter, now highlighted in media reports, continues to loom over Trump’s political landscape, likely complicating his relationship with both supporters and critics.