TL;DR
In 2003, somebody gave Jeffrey Epstein a birthday album. In 2025, that album simply blew up American politics. What seemed like a cheeky word—probably penned by Donald Trump and surrounded by a nude doodle—has now was a $20 billion lawsuit, a credibility disaster for the DOJ, and an existential meltdown for MAGA world. It’s not simply the Epstein recordsdata that have resurfaced. It’s the ghosts.
On July 17, 2025, the Wall Street Journal printed a report that detonated like a authorized grenade in the course of an already unstable political local weather. The headline wasn’t about coverage, indictment, or ballot numbers. It was about a birthday album. More particularly, Jeffrey Epstein’s fiftieth birthday album — compiled in 2003 by Ghislaine Maxwell — which included letters and messages from his community of excessive-powered associates. Tucked among the many pages was a word allegedly from Donald J. Trump.
The Journal described a typewritten message addressed to Epstein, surrounded by a hand-drawn nude girl and signed “Donald.” It included the phrase, “we have certain things in common,” and closed with a word wishing Epstein a pleased birthday and alluding to “another wonderful secret.” The tone urged an inside joke, although the Journal didn’t publish the total textual content verbatim. The publication didn’t affirm whether or not the handwriting or the drawing was Trump’s — but it surely printed the scanned web page from the album. The implication was clear. The letter, each in tone and innuendo, urged familiarity. It reignited lengthy-standing questions on Trump’s relationship with Epstein.
Within hours of the story breaking, Trump responded with attribute fury:
In May 2025 — earlier than the WSJ story — Trump’s authorized group had been notified by the Department of Justice (led by Attorney General Pam Bondi) that his title appeared in Epstein case recordsdata a number of occasions. At the time, Trump’s group denied it.But publish-publication, below mounting stress, the DOJ admitted: sure, Trump’s title does seem in Epstein-related supplies. Multiple occasions. They had reviewed the birthday album as a part of their investigation years earlier, and it was “archived” when the Epstein felony case was closed after his loss of life.That set off alarms throughout Washington. Was the DOJ suppressing data to guard Trump? Or have been they making an attempt to distance themselves from a political powder keg?
The MAGA base — lengthy satisfied that Epstein’s recordsdata would expose Democrats, tech elites, and Hollywood — was immediately going through the likelihood that their very own chief had extra involvement than beforehand admitted.This sparked a civil battle in Trumpworld:
Meanwhile, QAnon-adjoining communities — who had canonised Trump because the vanquisher of elite baby traffickers — have been left spinning, rationalising, or, in some instances, quietly retreating
Trump’s denial about “never drawing a woman in my life” was rapidly challenged.Media shops resurfaced public auctions and charity appearances the place Trump had donated drawings:
It revives the Trump–Epstein connection. Trump and Epstein have been publicly recognized to be associates within the Nineties and early 2000s. Trump as soon as mentioned Epstein “likes beautiful women… on the younger side.” He later claimed he reduce ties with him. The birthday word undermines that narrative of distance.It creates a authorized combat Trump doesn’t management. His $20 billion lawsuit is a excessive-stakes gamble: if the Journal has proof verifying the letter’s authenticity, the lawsuit might backfire spectacularly. It shatters a narrative inside Trump’s base. For years, many believed Epstein’s paperwork would solely harm Trump’s enemies. Now, that assumption is below scrutiny. It pulls the DOJ into political crossfire. Pam Bondi, as soon as Trump’s ally, is now accused by either side — for withholding recordsdata and for not defending Trump aggressively sufficient.