‘White House cover up’ trends as Karoline Leavitt's response to viral Trump-Epstein ‘birthday note’ sparks uproar
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich denies Trump's alleged signature on a birthday message to Jeffrey Epstein, calling it defamation.
Karoline Leavitt, the Press Secretary for the White House, has replied to recent reports by The Wall Street Journal that evaluate the text and drawing that the publication claims were composed by President Donald Trump in a 2003 birthday book that was presented to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Reacting to the alleged Trump birthday card, Leavitt in a post on X said, “The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire 'Birthday Card' story is false. As I have said all along, it's very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.”
“President Trump's legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation. This is FAKE NEWS to perpetuate the Democrat Epstein Hoax!” she added.
Blasting the reporter, she said, “Furthermore, the 'reporter' @joe_palazzolo who wrote this hatchet job reached out for comment at the EXACT same minute he published his story giving us no time to respond.”
Trump has insisted that he never delivered the letter to Epstein and even sued the publication for $10 billion (€8.5 billion).
All about Epstein files
The new report was released the same day the House Oversight Committee, which is now investigating how the Department of Justice (DOJ) handled the case against Epstein, got documents from the sex offender.
The Epstein estate documents are a part of a larger legislative effort to examine documents related to federal investigations into Epstein and release information that the DOJ had earlier kept.
Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Following the committee's acquisition of information from Epstein's estate, the contentious birthday message—first published by The Wall Street Journal and then shared by House Democrats—has heightened a months-long argument about how the Justice Department has handled Epstein-related documents.
House Oversight Committee blasts Trump
Taking to X, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said on Monday, “🚨🚨HERE IT IS: We got Trump's birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein that the President said doesn't exist.” Calling for the release of files, the committee continued, “Trump talks about a 'wonderful secret' the two of them shared. What is he hiding? Release the files!”
Meanwhile, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich wrote on Monday on X that “it's not his signature,” reiterating the White House's denial that this is Trump's signature. “DEFAMATION!” she wrote.
White House cover up trends on X
Meanwhile, Texas Democrat Representative Jasmine Crockett, a member of the House Oversight Committee, called Trump a “liar” as White House cover up started trending on X.
“No surprise the note *does* exist. More proof this White House cover-up is to protect Trump, the powerful, and the wealthy,” wrote Rep. Summer Lee.
“We got the Epstein note Trump says doesn’t exist. Time to end this White House cover-up,” Congressman Robert Garcia.
