"The president did not write or sign that letter," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on 9/9, referring to a birthday greeting purportedly from former US President Donald Trump to the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Leavitt stated that the White House supports authenticating the letter to demonstrate that the signature is not Trump's. "The US president has one of the most famous signatures in the world, and it has been that way for many years," she said, adding that Trump also did not sign any checks to Epstein, contrary to allegations.
The White House official suggested that Democrats are "trying to harm" the former president by focusing on the Epstein case and using it to overshadow the achievements of the Trump administration.
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press conference on 9/9. Photo: AP |
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt at a press conference on 9/9. Photo: AP
Trump on the same day denied signing or writing the birthday letter to Epstein. "That’s not my signature, and it’s not the way I talk," he said.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, who is leading the congressional investigation into Epstein, also expressed confidence in Trump. Comer requested documents related to Epstein, including the book containing the alleged birthday letter from Trump. "The president maintains he did not sign the letter, and I believe him," the Republican representative said.
Republican Representative Thomas Massie expressed hope that Comer's committee would investigate the signature purportedly belonging to Trump. "I'm not a forensic expert, but it looks like his signature. I hope they can do some analysis to clear this up so we don't have to argue about things that can be determined," he said.
However, Comer later stated that the House Oversight Committee was unlikely to invest resources in verifying a signature from years ago.
The letter, featuring a message written on a sketch of a naked woman, was released online by Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee on 8/9. It appears to be part of a book of letters sent to Epstein by friends for his 50th birthday.
The letter records a brief exchange between "Donald" and "Jeffrey." "Having a friend like you is wonderful. Happy birthday and may every day be another wonderful mystery," the letter concludes, attributed to Donald and followed by what is purported to be Trump's signature.
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Former US President Donald Trump speaking to the press near the White House on 9/9. Photo: AP |
Former US President Donald Trump speaking to the press near the White House on 9/9. Photo: AP
Epstein, born in 1953, was an American financier arrested in New York in July 2019 on charges of sex trafficking dozens of minors, some as young as 14. He faced 45 years in prison if convicted.
Epstein denied all charges and was held at the Manhattan jail in New York. However, while awaiting trial, he died by suicide in his cell in August 2019.
US authorities at the time declared they would not drop the case and were determined to fully investigate Epstein's accomplices. Trump, a former friend of Epstein, had previously stated he would release related records if elected, but he has not done so and has repeatedly urged Republican voters not to "waste time" on the case, causing dissatisfaction among some of his supporters.
Pham Giang (Reuters)
