Trump's name on letter to Epstein: WSJ

WASHINGTON — United States President Donald Trump's name appeared on an off-color 2003 personal note to Jeffrey Epstein, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The president responded that the letter was fake.

The Journal reported that the letter was one of several included in a leather-bound album meant to celebrate Epstein's 50th birthday, about three years before sex abuse allegations emerged against the late financier.

The newspaper says it reviewed the letter, but did not print an image.

Trump quickly responded to the story on his Truth Social platform, saying he would sue the newspaper and Rupert Murdoch, who controls the publishing company News Corp.

"I told Rupert Murdoch it was a scam, that he shouldn't print this fake story," Trump wrote. "But he did, and now I'm going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper."

In an earlier post, Trump said Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Emma Tucker "was told directly by (White House press secretary) Karoline Leavitt, and by President Trump, that the letter was a fake".

"President Trump will be suing The Wall Street Journal, NewsCorp, and Mr Murdoch, shortly," the post added.

Trump was already facing a firestorm over his past relationship with Epstein and claims that his administration is covering up lurid details of Epstein's crimes to protect several rich and powerful figures.

Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 — during Trump's first term — after being charged with federal sex-trafficking in a scheme where he allegedly groomed young and underage women for sexual abuse by his wealthy contacts.

He was previously required to register as a sex offender in Florida after pleading guilty to two felony prostitution-related charges.

On Thursday, Trump asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to release transcripts of grand jury testimony in the Epstein case, "subject to court approval".

The Trump-supporting far right has long latched onto the Epstein scandal, claiming the existence of a still-secret "client list" and that Epstein was murdered in his cell as part of a cover-up.

However, the Justice Department and FBI this month concluded that there is no evidence to support conspiracy theories about his clients and 2019 death in prison, saying they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.

That could change if grand jury testimony or evidence is released.

Months earlier, Bondi had pledged major revelations about Epstein, including "a lot of names" and "a lot of flight logs".

Agencies via Xinhua