Inside the Trump–Epstein Birthday Letter: A Bawdy Sketch That Reignited a Political Firestorm
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"Inside the Trump–Epstein Birthday Note: The Bawdy Sketch That Shook D.C |
The Note That No One Was Supposed to See
In the murky overlap between celebrity, politics, and scandal, a single birthday greeting—dated 2003 and attributed to Donald J. Trump—has surfaced with unsettling implications. Shared recently by House Democrats, the letter appears in a birthday album once gifted to Jeffrey Epstein, filled with personal messages from powerful friends.
This particular page? A nude drawing, handwritten note, and a signature stylized as pubic hair.
The Trump–Epstein birthday letter may be brief, but it’s explosive. It combines provocative imagery, cryptic language, and uncanny stylistic echoes of Trump’s known writing—raising questions not only about its authenticity, but about the larger ecosystem of secrets still cloaked in Epstein’s orbit.
What Is the Trump–Epstein Birthday Letter?
The letter, reportedly discovered in a 2003 birthday album assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s 50th birthday, includes a stylized nude female outline. Across the torso is written:
“A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
The signature “Donald” appears below the figure’s waistline, its scribbled loops forming what appears to be pubic hair—an unmistakable visual choice.
The letter came to light during a Congressional hearing on transparency regarding Epstein-related evidence. Democrats displayed a screenshot from the album, originally obtained by The Wall Street Journal, as part of a broader inquiry into whether Epstein’s network of influence extended into the Department of Justice.
Trump's Denial and Legal Retaliation
Trump quickly and forcefully denied any connection to the letter.
“That’s a fake thing. I don’t draw pictures,” he told reporters.
He went further, filing a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, and parent company News Corp. Trump claims the publication maliciously attributed the letter to him without evidence.
The suit has become a flashpoint in the 2025 campaign landscape, raising the stakes in Trump’s ongoing effort to distance himself from Epstein amid mounting scrutiny from both Congress and the public.
The Visual and Linguistic Evidence
While Trump insists the note is fake, experts and media analysts have pointed to compelling similarities between the letter and Trump’s known doodling style. Handwriting analysts cited:
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Signature shape: The slanted, looping “Donald” closely matches past autographs.
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Language patterns: Trump has used similar phrases in prior correspondence, including variations of “wonderful secret” and the oddly constructed “a pal is a wonderful thing.”
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Humor style: The cheeky, almost juvenile tone aligns with Trump’s documented use of crude humor in the early 2000s.
The WSJ visual analysis compared this letter to prior Trump sketches from notes, books, and internal memos. The parallels were striking enough to publish side-by-side comparisons, fueling further public debate.
And Why It Matters Now
What sets this artifact apart from countless Trump–Epstein headlines is its nature: personal, irreverent, and visual. It’s not a flight log or a calendar invite. It’s a human gesture—oddly intimate, and chilling when viewed through the lens of Epstein’s criminal history.
At the time of the letter, Trump and Epstein were social peers in Palm Beach and Manhattan. Trump has since insisted they had a “falling out” and hadn’t spoken for years before Epstein’s arrest. But the letter adds a wrinkle to that narrative, especially as more unreleased Epstein documents remain under seal.
This note also raises wider questions about what kinds of personal artifacts remain buried in private archives—and who controls their release.
What Happens Next?
Trump’s lawsuit could become a landmark case testing the limits of journalistic attribution. Meanwhile, Congress continues to press the DOJ on why the full contents of Epstein’s personal files have not yet been disclosed.
Several lawmakers, including Rep. Dan Goldman, who revealed the letter, are calling for the unsealing of all Epstein-related communications involving public officials. That could mean more letters, more revelations, and more legal fights in the months ahead.
Conclusion: A Sketch of Power, Secrets, and Denial
The Trump–Epstein birthday letter may be short and cartoonish, but it serves as a symbolic artifact in a much larger story—one of influence, secrecy, and the fine line between humor and implication. Whether authentic or not, its emergence has reopened a portal into a past that still holds power in the present.
FAQs
1. What is the Trump–Epstein birthday letter?
The Trump–Epstein birthday letter refers to a page from Jeffrey Epstein’s 50th birthday album, allegedly containing a handwritten note and sketch by Donald Trump. The note includes a nude outline and a suggestive birthday message, with Trump’s signature stylized as pubic hair.
2. Is the Trump–Epstein letter authentic?
The authenticity of the letter is still disputed. While The Wall Street Journal and several handwriting experts point to similarities with Trump’s past writings and doodles, Trump has publicly denied creating the letter and is currently suing for defamation over its publication.
3. Where did the letter come from?
The letter was reportedly part of a birthday book created by Ghislaine Maxwell for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003. It included messages from various high-profile individuals in Epstein’s social circle, including Trump, Bill Clinton, and others.
4. Why is the letter significant?
The letter adds a visual, personal element to the Trump–Epstein narrative. Its crude humor, handwritten style, and odd phrasing contrast sharply with Trump’s public denial of any close relationship with Epstein, reigniting public and political scrutiny.
5. What legal action has Trump taken regarding the letter?
Trump filed a $10 billion defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal and its parent companies, claiming the attribution of the letter to him is false and damaging. The lawsuit is ongoing and could impact how media organizations report on potentially unauthenticated documents.
6. What does the letter actually say?
The note reads:
"A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."
It’s written across a nude drawing, with Trump’s name appearing in the lower section of the sketch.
7. How does this affect Trump politically?
Though not a criminal accusation, the letter adds to the long-standing controversy around Trump’s past associations. It has resurfaced at a time when calls for transparency regarding Epstein-related files are intensifying, potentially damaging Trump’s credibility.
8. Will more Epstein documents be released?
There is growing pressure from lawmakers and journalists to unseal remaining Epstein-related files, particularly communications involving public officials. If more documents surface, they could include further personal notes, correspondence, or logs implicating high-profile figures.
9. Did Trump and Epstein have a close relationship?
Trump has said they had a falling out in the early 2000s. However, they were known to socialize in Palm Beach and New York in the 1990s and early 2000s. The resurfacing of the letter complicates this narrative.
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