President Donald Trump has escalated his response to a Wall Street Journal report detailing an alleged lewd birthday letter sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. Trump has vehemently denied authoring the letter and is now threatening legal action against the newspaper, its parent company NewsCorp, and Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch. Concurrently, he has directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of “pertinent Grand Jury testimony” related to Epstein’s criminal case, subject to court approval.
The Wall Street Journal’s article, published Thursday, July 17, 2025, claims that a compilation of birthday letters for Epstein’s 50th birthday in 2003 included a note bearing Donald Trump’s name. According to the report, the letter featured an outline of a naked woman, with the signature “Donald” positioned where pubic hair would be. The typewritten text purportedly concluded with the line: “Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The newspaper stated that this album, assembled by Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell, was among the materials examined by Justice Department officials during previous investigations into Epstein.
In an interview with the Journal on Tuesday, Trump denied any involvement, stating, “I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women. It’s not my language. It’s not my words.” Following the story’s publication, Trump took to Truth Social, labeling the report “false, malicious, and defamatory.” He asserted that he, along with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, had directly warned Murdoch and Journal editor Emma Tucker that the letter was “FAKE” and that legal action would ensue if the story was published. Trump’s post read, “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.” The Wall Street Journal has declined to comment on Trump’s threats.
The controversy surrounding the alleged letter comes amidst heightened scrutiny of the Epstein case, particularly after a Justice Department and FBI review released last week found no evidence to support conspiracy theories about Epstein’s death or the existence of a “client list.” This review contradicted previous suggestions from Trump and Attorney General Bondi, who had fueled speculation about forthcoming revelations. Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and died by suicide in his jail cell before trial.
In a move that appears to be a direct response to the Journal’s report and ongoing pressure from his base, Trump announced on Truth Social that he had “asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval.” Bondi quickly confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) her readiness to move in court on Friday to facilitate the release of these documents, though the process of obtaining judicial approval is expected to be lengthy.
Reactions from Trump’s allies have been swift. Vice President JD Vance dismissed the Journal’s story as “complete and utter bullshit” on X. Far-right activist Laura Loomer called the letter “totally fake,” suggesting that President Trump typically writes notes in “big black Sharpie” rather than typing. Similarly, influential MAGA voice Charlie Kirk commented, “This is not how Trump talks at all. I don’t believe it,” referring to the letter’s typed content.
The threatened lawsuit also marks a new chapter in the complex relationship between President Trump and Rupert Murdoch. While Murdoch’s media empire, including Fox News, has often been a key ally for Trump, their relationship has seen periods of tension. Despite Murdoch’s reported efforts to distance his media holdings from Trump after the January 6, 2021, attack, and his personal souring on Trump by 2020, the two have maintained a mutually beneficial, albeit “operatic,” dynamic. This latest development adds another layer to their decades-long association.
