Trump denies writing letter to Epstein with drawing of a unadorned lady – NBC New York

President Donald Trump on Thursday denied writing a letter to Jeffrey Epstein greater than twenty years in the past that reportedly included an overview of a unadorned lady and a “Donald” signature.

The denial got here in response to a Wall Avenue Journal article that stated Trump was amongst dozens of Epstein’s associates enlisted by his then-confidant Ghislaine Maxwell to contribute to a set of letters she deliberate to provide him in a birthday album.

In accordance with paperwork reviewed by the Journal, Trump’s letter featured a number of strains of typewritten textual content framed by what seemed to be a hand-drawn define of a unadorned lady. The define, based on the outlet, included particulars meant to depict the lady’s breast. Trump’s signature was drawn throughout the lady’s waist, meant to imitate the looks of pubic hair.

NBC Information has not independently verified or seen the letter.

In a cellphone interview with the Journal, Trump denied writing the letter to Epstein or drawing the accompanying image. He referred to as the reporting “a faux factor” and stated he would sue the newspaper if it printed the story.

“I by no means wrote an image in my life. I don’t draw footage of ladies,” Trump advised the newspaper. “It’s not my language. It’s not my phrases.”

Trump later confirmed his plans to hunt authorized motion in opposition to the Wall Avenue Journal, its mum or dad firm Information Corp and Rupert Murdoch, the group’s head, for publishing what he referred to as a “defamatory” story.

“The Wall Avenue Journal, and Rupert Murdoch, personally, have been warned straight by President Donald J. Trump that the supposed letter they printed by President Trump to Epstein was a FAKE and, in the event that they print it, they are going to be sued. Mr. Murdoch acknowledged that he would deal with it however, clearly, didn’t have the facility to take action,” Trump wrote on Reality Social.

The Wall Avenue Journal didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Vice President JD Vance referred to as the Journal’s reporting “full and utter bulls—” in a publish on X and questioned the veracity of the letter the outlet claims was written by Trump.

“The place is that this letter? Would you be shocked to study they by no means confirmed it to us earlier than publishing it? Does anybody actually consider this feels like Donald Trump,” he wrote.

The Journal, citing individuals who have reviewed pages from the birthday album, stated among the pages have been among the many paperwork reviewed by the Justice Division throughout its investigations of Epstein and Maxwell, who was sentenced to twenty years in jail in 2022. Nonetheless, it is unclear if pages from the album have been included within the Trump administration’s most up-to-date evaluate of the case.

In a separate Reality Social publish Thursday night time, Trump stated he has directed Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi to “produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony” associated to Epstein, “topic to Court docket approval.”

Bondi responded on social media saying, “President Trump—we’re prepared to maneuver the court docket tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts.”

When reached for remark, the Justice Division pointed to Bondi’s publish. The FBI didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Epstein was arrested in 2006 and charged with 4 counts of illegal sexual exercise with a minor and lewd and lascivious molestation. He was indicted in 2019 on federal intercourse trafficking prices.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 after being charged with one rely of intercourse trafficking and one other rely of intercourse trafficking conspiracy. He was accused of looking for out minors for intercourse, some as younger as 14. He confronted as much as 45 years in jail if convicted on the fees, which he pleaded not responsible to.

For years, far proper provocateurs, together with FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, have promoted the notion that the Epstein case was a part of a authorities cover-up to guard highly effective political gamers and enterprise elites concerned in a a baby abuse ring.

Trump’s denial comes amid a uncommon splintering of his base over a Justice Division memo outlining a choice to now not disclose new data associated to the federal investigation into Epstein and denying the existence of a purported “consumer record” of people that benefited from his crimes.

Because the backlash intensified this week, Trump on Wednesday chided his “previous supporters” for purchasing into what he characterised because the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax.”

“Let these weaklings proceed ahead and do the Democrats work, don’t even take into consideration speaking of our unbelievable and unprecedented success, as a result of I don’t need their assist anymore,” Trump wrote.

Ken Dilanian contributed.