President Donald Trump formally requested that grand jury testimony regarding late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein be released just days after the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump sent a naughty birthday message to Epstein’s 50th birthday book in 2003.
The letter, which has generated political controversy in both parties, asserted that Trump penned a typed letter with a “mock conversation” with off-color undertones and a sketch of a naked woman. The alleged message ended in the line: “Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret,” with a wobbly “Donald” signature scrawled alongside the drawing of the woman.
Trump has strongly denied any guilt or criminality in connection with Epstein, calling the WSJ report “false, malicious, and defamatory.” In a lengthy message to his Truth Social social media platform, Trump stated, “This FAKE story is a coordinated hit piece by the Radical Left media attempting to politically hurt me. I never authored such a note, and any suggestion that I did is complete fiction.”.
The former president then directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to request court permission to release the transcripts of the grand jury in the Epstein case an unprecedented and bold step intended to clear him of wrongdoing amid heightened public scrutiny.
“A Scam, a Witch Hunt”: Trump Attacking Media
Trump’s tweets were replete with his characteristic defiance. He accused the Wall Street Journal, Rupert Murdoch, and parent company News Corp of knowingly defaming him in the midst of the 2024 presidential election cycle. “They knew the story was phony, and I told them before they ran it,” Trump tweeted. “Now they’ll be hearing from my lawyers.”
Pam Bondi, Trump’s long-time friend and former Attorney General of Florida, promised to submit the petition for unsealing the transcripts. “If the court permits, we are willing to release all that pertains to this case,” she shared on X (previously Twitter). Bondi claimed this would be sufficient to bring any made-up stories being reported in the media to an end.
The Epstein Files: Narrow Scope and Judicial Barriers
Despite Trump’s calls for full transparency, legal experts caution that at best a minority of what the public imagines of the “Epstein files” will emerge. Grand jury records in the United States are typically exempt from disclosure under Rule 6(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure and can only be released under extremely limited and extraordinary circumstances.
“Even if the court approves the release, we’re likely talking about 1–2% of all case materials,” said former federal prosecutor Laura Coates during a CNN segment. “Grand jury secrecy is foundational to our justice system.”
The FBI and Justice Department, in previously leaked internal memos, have reiterated that there is “no credible evidence” that Epstein was involved in blackmail conspiracies or maintained a so-called “client list” of individuals to blackmail powerful people. The memos also reaffirmed the official conclusion of Epstein’s death by suicide in 2019, despite years of public speculation and conspiracy theories.
A History of Ties and Denials
Trump’s relationship with Epstein has been a source of scandal for decades. Public records and pictures show the two men mingling in the early 2000s, often together at the same high-end parties and gatherings in Palm Beach and New York.
A widely-printed 2002 observation by Trump, published in New York Magazine, added to years of speculation. “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Trump, however, consistently maintained that he had previously ended his relationship with Epstein years before the financier’s initial arrest in 2007. Trump also claimed, as president, that he was responsible for pushing the FBI and Department of Justice to probe Epstein’s associates more aggressively.
The timing of the scandal is politicized. Trump is once more the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential race, and any new scandal—particularly one in which a convicted sex offender is involved is a danger to his campaign’s integrity amongst undecided voters and suburban moderates.
Meanwhile, Democrats stayed largely silent, perhaps not wanting to notice that Epstein’s social circle also included top liberals like Bill Clinton and Prince Andrew, both of whom denied involvement in Epstein’s criminal enterprise.
Reaction on the internet has been split. Right-wing commentators were quick to leap to the defense of Trump, but liberal sources and political commentators questioned the sincerity of his denials.
“Whether it’s true or not, the note story creates a perception problem,” said GOP strategist Meghan McCall. “Trump’s base won’t care, but suburban independents will.”
What Happens Next?
The next steps hinge on whether the courts grant Bondi’s motion to release the grand jury materials. Legal analysts predict that the process could take weeks, if not months, due to the strict confidentiality rules surrounding such records.
In the meantime, Trump’s attorneys are preparing defamation lawsuits against the Wall Street Journal, News Corp, and Rupert Murdoch personally. The success or failure of those lawsuits can have a significant effect on how this drama influences the narrative of the 2024 election.
Until then, the alleged birthday letter, and the broader Epstein scandal, will likely remain potent symbols in the public vocabulary about truth, transparency, and accountability in the highest levels of power.
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