Trump-Epstein Letter Claim Sparks Political Firestorm

Controversy erupted after The Wall Street Journal alleged Donald Trump sent Jeffrey Epstein a bawdy birthday letter in 2003, featuring a suggestive drawing and intimate language. Trump denied the letter's authenticity, threatened to sue both the Journal and owner Rupert Murdoch, and directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to unseal Epstein-related grand jury testimony. The report has renewed bipartisan calls in Congress, including from House Speaker Mike Johnson, for the release of Epstein-related files. The Justice Department maintains there is no 'client list' and that Epstein died by suicide. Polls show broad public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the Epstein case, and Trump has publicly rebuked his own supporters for focusing on the controversy. The episode has deepened divisions within the GOP and underscores the persistent political turmoil surrounding Trump's association with Epstein.