Adam Kinzinger, the former Republican congressman and one of Donald Trump’s most vocal critics, has once again stepped into the fray.
Kinzinger took aim at the president after reports surfaced about a letter allegedly written by Trump to disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The letter, published by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), has sparked a firestorm of controversy, with Trump denying its authenticity and threatening legal action.
In a fiery assessment, he called Trump a “sick predator” for allegedly writing to Epstein about their “beautiful secrets” and expressed disbelief at anyone defending such behavior. For Kinzinger, who has already carved out a post-congressional career as a sharp-witted Trump critic, this scandal provided yet another opportunity to highlight what he sees as Trump’s moral failings.
At the center of the controversy is a letter that WSJ claims was part of a collection Ghislaine Maxwell — Epstein’s former partner and now-convicted accomplice — planned to gift Epstein for his birthday in 2003. According to the report, the letter purportedly written by Trump was anything but ordinary. It allegedly contained typewritten text framed by a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman, with Trump’s signature scrawled across the figure in a way that some have described as crude and inappropriate.
The letter’s tone reportedly included a salutation that read, “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret,” sparking speculation about the nature of the relationship between Trump and Epstein. The implications are damning — if true, the letter suggests a level of camaraderie that goes far beyond the superficial pleasantries Trump has previously acknowledged in his interactions with Epstein.
Unsurprisingly, Trump has come out swinging against the allegations (and unsurprisingly some blind MAGA too).
On his social media platform, Truth Social, he flatly denied the letter’s authenticity, calling it a fabrication and accusing The Wall Street Journal of engaging in yet another “fake news” campaign against him.
Trump insists the letter does not match his style of communication, claiming, “I don’t draw pictures.” But Trump didn’t stop at denial. He went straight for the jugular, threatening to sue Rupert Murdoch, News Corp, and the WSJ for defamation. Trump’s threats to litigate might not come as a surprise — after all, he has a history of using lawsuits (or the threat of them) as a weapon against perceived enemies. However, it raises questions about whether this is a deflection tactic or a genuine attempt to clear his name.
And while Kinzinger’s fiery remarks may not change the minds of Trump’s most loyal supporters, they do serve as a reminder that there’s a faction within the Republican Party deeply troubled by Trump’s continued dominance. As a former member of the January 6th Committee, Kinzinger has positioned himself as a moral counterweight to Trump, and this latest controversy plays directly into that narrative.
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