Donald Trump says a risque personal note to Jeffrey Epstein with his name on it is fake and has threatened to sue “the ass off” Rupert Murdoch after the Wall Street Journal exposed the item.
The Journal reported that the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003, about three years before sex abuse allegations emerged against the financier.
Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls its publisher, News Corp.
Responding to the WSJ's claims, Mr Trump wrote: "The Wall Street Journal printed a FAKE letter, supposedly to Epstein. These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures.
“I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn't print this Fake Story. But he did, and now I'm going to sue his ass off, and that of his third-rate newspaper. Thank you for your attention to this matter! DJT.”
A spokesperson for the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, Dow Jones & Co, declined to comment on its story or Trump's threat to sue. Representatives for News Corp and Murdoch could not immediately be reached for comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The White House has been roiled by questions about disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Epstein, after the Justice Department this month concluded that there was no evidence to support a number of long-held conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison.
Attorney General Pam Bondi had pledged months earlier to reveal major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs."
Some Trump supporters have demanded the release of more information on Epstein, causing a rare fracture within his base of support. Trump has pushed back.
"It's all been a big hoax," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, as calls increased for the release of more information on Epstein's clients.
But Trump and Bondi said on Thursday they would seek court permission to release grand jury testimony from the Epstein case.
The Journal said the birthday letter, bearing Trump's name, contains several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appeared to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. The newspaper said the letter concludes “Happy Birthday - and may every day be another wonderful secret," and featured the signature "Donald."
Vice President JD Vance responded to the story on X, saying: "Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit. The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it."
Allegations that Epstein had been sexually abusing girls became public in 2006 - after the birthday book was compiled - and he was arrested that year before accepting a plea deal. Epstein died in 2019 in jail after he was arrested a second time and charged with sex-trafficking conspiracy.
