A new Wall Street Journal (WSJ) investigation is stirring fresh controversy surrounding former U.S. President Donald Trump’s alleged ties with Jeffrey Epstein, as tensions grow over the Department of Justice’s refusal to release further Epstein files.
The report, first flagged by Status Report, claims Trump attempted to personally contact the WSJ’s editor-in-chief to prevent publication of the story. The WSJ article, co-authored by Khadeeja Safdar and Joe Palazzolo, focuses on a leather-bound album belonging to Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, and was reportedly compiled before Epstein’s 2006 arrest.
At the center of the controversy is a birthday letter written for Epstein’s 50th birthday, orchestrated by Maxwell. The album includes a letter filled with messages from Epstein’s inner circle, one of which allegedly includes a signature by Donald Trump.
The bizarre and provocative layout of the letter includes text in the shape of a naked woman, with “a pair of small arcs denoting breasts” and Trump’s name allegedly signed “below the waist,” mimicking pubic hair, as per the WSJ’s description.
The WSJ called the document “bawdy,” citing a typewritten letter with crude imagery and the name “Donald” in a stylized squiggle.
Trump, 79, issued a swift denial when contacted by the WSJ:
“This is not me. This is a fake thing. It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story,” he said.
“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.”
This revelation comes on the heels of a July 6 DOJ memo that further inflamed public suspicion, declaring that:
- No additional Epstein-related files would be released.
- The infamous “black book” of clients either does not exist or was not used for blackmail.
- No credible evidence of client lists being leveraged against powerful individuals was found.
Despite those assertions, public skepticism remains high, especially in light of recent reporting. The WSJ’s scoop adds to ongoing concerns that key information is being shielded, even as more links to high-profile figures like Trump resurface.
Meanwhile, criticism is mounting from across the spectrum:
- Survivors and advocates have denounced the DOJ for lacking transparency.
- Social media is ablaze with calls for the full release of Epstein documents.
- Foreign press outlets and legal experts are questioning the DOJ’s “finality” claim regarding the Epstein files.
This latest Trump-Epstein angle has intensified an already explosive situation, raising new questions about elite circles, media influence, and institutional accountability in one of the darkest scandals of the 21st century.