House Oversight Democrats on Monday swiftly released the image and message President Trump allegedly wrote as a birthday present to Jeffrey Epstein, revealing a drawing the White House has denied existed.
The image was released by the panel’s Democrats just minutes after Epstein’s estate turned over records subpoenaed by the committee, including a so-called birthday book with the missive from Trump.
The Wall Street Journal reported in July that Trump had written the salacious letter to Epstein for his 50th birthday. Trump denied writing the letter and later sued the publication.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) accused Trump of engaging in a cover up.
“This note Donald Trump has said does not exist, but once again, he is lying to the American public and is leading a White House cover up,” Garcia said in a video message shortly after releasing the image.
The image shows the outline of a woman’s figure with a message in the middle formatted in the form of a conversation between Trump and Epstein and referencing that the two “have certain things in common.”
“A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the message concludes.
“HERE IT IS: We got Trump’s birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein that the President said doesn’t exist. Trump talks about a ‘wonderful secret’ the two of them shared. What is he hiding? Release the files!” Oversight Democrats wrote in sharing the image on X.
The White House and its allies sought to cast doubt on the validity of the letter by suggesting the signature did not belong to the president.
“Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature. DEFAMATION!” deputy White House chief of staff Taylor Budowich posted on X along with images of other Trump signatures.
Garcia cast Trump’s denial around the image as part of a broader struggle by the White House to bury his relationship with an unsavory figure and to deny justice to victims abused by those in power circles.
“Mr. President, this is not a hoax. You are lying to the American public. You are involved in a cover up. Now the oversight committee is going to be reviewing the documents we received today, and we will not stop until we get justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and all those that were involved,” Garcia said in the video.
“We do not care how powerful you are, how connected you are, how much money your wealth, you have, or what political party that you are in. We’ll get justice for these survivors, we will get to the truth.”
Trump has been under intense pressure for months over the Epstein case, with calls from some of his prominent supporters in Congress to release more files connected to the late financier and sex offender.
While Trump has said the Justice Department should release credible evidence, he has frequently bristled at the relentless focus on the topic and suggested some Republicans are doing Democrats a favor by keeping the attention on Epstein.
Epstein, accused in several cases of sex trafficking young girls, ran in high-powered circles with figures that included Trump, former President Clinton, Britain’s Prince Andrew and a number of other celebrities and ultrawealthy people. Epstein’s associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, has been convicted of sex trafficking, and in July spoke with a top Justice Department official.
Maxwell, who is seeking clemency, told the DOJ in that interview that she did not remember Trump submitting a letter, card or note for the birthday book.
