The White House has dismissed as false an alleged birthday message attributed to Donald Trump in a scrapbook once owned by Jeffrey Epstein. Officials said Monday the former president “did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.”
The disputed note was part of a “birthday book” created for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003. The collection of letters and sketches—assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former partner who was later convicted of sex trafficking—was released by the House Oversight Committee along with other records from Epstein’s estate.
What the book contained
The 238-page scrapbook features contributions from a mix of high-profile acquaintances, including politicians, celebrities, and business leaders. Among them is a message from Lord Peter Mandelson, then the UK’s ambassador to Washington, describing Epstein as “my best pal.” A spokesperson for Mandelson later stressed he regretted the association.
Other entries include what appears to be a lighthearted note from former President Bill Clinton referencing Epstein’s “childlike curiosity.” Clinton’s office has acknowledged knowing Epstein but denies awareness of his crimes. Prince Andrew is also briefly mentioned in a passage from a contributor who claimed to have met him, Trump, and Clinton through Epstein.
The Trump note in question
The contested message attributed to Trump takes the form of a fictional dialogue with Epstein, ending with: “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret. Donald J Trump.”
The Wall Street Journal first reported on the alleged note in July. At the time, Trump called it “a fake thing” and sued the paper, its publisher, and Rupert Murdoch for $10 billion, accusing them of defamation. The Journal never published the image, but its description matched the version later released by Democrats on the committee.
Democratic members of the Oversight panel said the note undermines Trump’s past denials, with Rep. Robert Garcia claiming, “Now we know that Donald Trump was lying and is doing everything he can to cover up the truth.”
Republicans countered, with committee chairman James Comer accusing Democrats of cherry-picking documents for political gain.
Broader fallout
The release of the scrapbook comes as pressure grows for greater transparency around Epstein’s network and crimes. Survivors have renewed calls for the full set of “Epstein files” to be made public.
Other documents released alongside the birthday book include Epstein’s 2007 non-prosecution agreement with federal prosecutors in Florida and decades of entries from his personal address book.
Trump and Epstein were socially friendly in the 1990s, though Trump has said the two fell out in the early 2000s after Epstein tried to recruit staff from Mar-a-Lago. Epstein was first indicted in 2006 on charges of soliciting prostitution and died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
The White House reiterated Monday that Trump had no involvement with the scrapbook and that the signature on the alleged note “does not match his.” His legal team has pledged to continue pursuing action against the Wall Street Journal.
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