The White House has denied that an alleged letter from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein is authentic, saying the president did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.
US lawmakers released the letter, which features a drawing of a woman's body, as part of a birthday book given to Epstein in 2003. The book was part of a trove of documents released by a US House committee, including the late paedophile financier's will and his personal address book, which includes the names of royalty, celebrities, models, and politicians from around the world.
The birthday book also contains a message from Lord Peter Mandelson, the UK Ambassador to the US, in which he calls Epstein my best pal.
The House Oversight Committee last month issued a legal summons for the executors of Epstein's estate to produce a number of documents, including the birthday book.
Trump said while campaigning during the 2024 election that he would be open to making more information public but he 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 has dozens of contributors, including Lord Mandelson who describes Epstein as an intelligent, sharp-witted man who parachuted into his life.
When asked by the BBC about the book, a spokesman for Lord Mandelson said that the ambassador 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.
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.
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, he added.
