Photo : Epstein and Trump in 1997
US lawmakers have released a copy of a “birthday book” given to the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which includes a note allegedly signed by US President Donald Trump.
The book was released with a trove of documents that include Epstein’s will and his personal address book, with contacts that include royalty, celebrities, models and politicians from around the world.
Lawyers for Epstein’s Estate sent documents to the House Oversight Committee after being subpoenaed last month.
The White House denied the alleged letter from Trump, which featured a drawing of a woman’s body, was authentic and said the President “did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it”.
The congressional committee last month issued a legal summons for the executors of Epstein’s estate to produce a number of documents, including the birthday book.
The release comes as the President faces growing pressure, including from his own supporters and within his own Republican Party, for more transparency on what investigations into Epstein uncovered.
Trump said while campaigning for the 2024 election that he would be open to making public more information but he then changed his position after assuming power, saying the case was closed.
Victims of Epstein last week added to the clamour by describing the abuse they suffered and calling for the release of the so-called Epstein files.
The 238-page book also contains a birthday message from Lord Peter Mandelson, the British Ambassador to the United States, in which he calls Epstein “my best pal”.
A spokesman for Lord Mandelson told the BBC that he had long been clear that he very much regretted having been introduced to Epstein.
The book was put together for Epstein’s 50th birthday by Ghislaine Maxwell, his British co-conspirator and ex-girlfriend who was convicted in 2021 of conspiring with him to traffic girls for sex. It was created in 2003; three years before allegations of sex abuse by Epstein became public.
The scrapbook, titled “The first fifty years”, contains submissions, apparently from various people connected to Epstein, including high-profile politicians and business leaders.
As well as the alleged note from Trump, who was his friend at the time, there is another which appears to be from former President Bill Clinton, which mentions Epstein’s “childlike curiosity”.
A spokesperson for Clinton has acknowledged that he was acquainted with Epstein at the time but knew nothing of his crimes.
Prince Andrew is briefly mentioned in the book. A note from an unidentified woman says she met Prince Andrew, Clinton and Trump through Epstein, as well as a number of celebrities.
The woman goes on to say she has “seen the private quarters of Buckingham Palace” and “sat on the Queen of England’s throne”. Prince Andrew faced allegations as part of the Epstein saga and has denied any wrongdoing.
When the alleged Trump note was first reported by the Wall Street Journal in July, the President said it was “a fake thing” and denied writing it. He filed a lawsuit against the paper’s reporters, publisher and executives, including News Corp’s owner Rupert Murdoch, seeking $10bn in damages.
Democratic lawmakers published an image of the birthday note on X ahead of the committee’s release of the book and other Epstein documents.
The signed note allegedly from Trump features several lines of text in an imagined conversation between him and Epstein, with the final line reading: “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump has not commented on the note’s release, though the White House denied on Monday that the President produced anything for the book and said the signature on the note did not match Trump’s.
Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the Republican-led House Oversight panel, said Trump had “claimed that his birthday note didn’t exist”.
“Now we know that Donald Trump was lying and is doing everything he can to cover up the truth.”
In a statement, Republican committee chairman James Comer accused Democrats on the panel of “cherry-picking documents and politicizing information” they received from the Estate.
“Oversight Committee Republicans are focused on running a thorough investigation to bring transparency and accountability for survivors of Epstein’s heinous crimes and the American people,” he said.
