'Wonderful secret': Democrats release controversial Trump's birthday note to Epstein
What's the story
Democratic lawmakers have released a controversial birthday note allegedly written by former United States President Donald Trump to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The note, which was part of a book compiled by Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell for his 50th birthday, features a nude woman's sketch and a dialogue between "Donald" and "Jeffrey." It also mentions a "wonderful secret" shared by the two men.
Denial issued
White House denies authenticity of note
The White House has denied the authenticity of the note. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "It's very clear President Donald Trump did not draw this picture and he did not sign it." Democrats released the letter to the US House Oversight Committee, which is investigating Epstein's criminal cases. Trump has also sued The Wall Street Journal for $10 billion over reports about this letter.
Case details
Epstein's death ruled suicide by FBI
Epstein died in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for alleged sex trafficking of underage girls. His death was ruled a suicide by the FBI and the Justice Department. The Republican-controlled Oversight Committee has subpoenaed documents from the Justice Department and testimony from several high-ranking officials, including former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Interview conducted
Maxwell interviewed by Trump's Justice Department
As part of its response to the controversy, Trump's Justice Department interviewed Maxwell, who is now serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting underage girls for Epstein. The interview was conducted by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Trump's former personal lawyer. After the interview with Blanche, Maxwell was transferred from a Florida prison to a minimum-security facility in Texas.