'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal

The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein

President Donald Trump walks to talk to the members of the media
'Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.'
(Image credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta / AP Photo)

What happened

President Donald Trump Thursday threatened to sue The Wall Street Journal after the paper published details of what it called a "bawdy" 50th birthday letter Trump wrote for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, three years before Epstein was first arrested. The letter features a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, with Trump's signature scrawled "below her waist, mimicking pubic hair," the Journal said. It reads: "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret."

Who said what

Trump insisted the letter was a "fake thing" because he "never wrote a picture in my life." He vowed to sue the Journal, "just like I sued everyone else." Some of Trump's MAGA allies, including right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, rushed to defend him. "I'm calling bullshit," Loomer wrote on X. Tech billionaire and former DOGE leader Elon Musk said the message "really doesn't sound like something Trump would say."

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What next?

Attorney General Pam Bondi indicated the Justice Department would ask a court today to "unseal the grand jury transcripts." The request may be unsuccessful, though, because the "secrecy of grand jury transcripts is highly protected," The New York Times said.

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Jessica Hullinger

Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.