House Democrats expose screenshot of Trump’s signed note and drawing from Epstein records

House Democrats on Monday revealed a screenshot of what appears to be a letter signed by Donald Trump, included in a bundle of birthday notes sent to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday back in 2003.

The letter is unusual, featuring a cryptic exchange between Trump and Epstein inside what looks like a hand-drawn outline of a woman’s torso, with Trump’s signature positioned just below the hips.

This is the first time the letter has been made publicly visible since The Wall Street Journal first reported on its existence in July. Trump has not only denied writing the note but also filed a defamation lawsuit against the outlet.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed that releasing the sketch “PROVES this entire ‘Birthday Card’ story is false.” She added in an X post, “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.”

Taylor Budowich, deputy White House chief of staff, also argued online that the signature on the Epstein letter is not Trump’s. He circulated images of recent documents signed by Trump in an effort to show that the 2003 autograph does not match.

However, a review of Trump’s handwriting over the years shows noticeable shifts. A 2016 New York Times report that examined his correspondence included samples where his signature looked much closer to the one seen on Epstein’s note.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in the House Oversight Committee are now investigating records tied to Epstein, the wealthy financier who died in prison in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges. Epstein’s estate turned over the entire “birthday book” and additional materials in response to a congressional subpoena.

Later on Monday, Republicans on the committee released more than 350 pages of related documents. Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer of Kentucky criticized Democrats, stating it was, “appalling Democrats on the Oversight Committee are cherry-picking documents and politicizing information received from the Epstein Estate today.” He added that the committee “will pursue additional Epstein bank records based on this new information.”

Trump had once been socially connected to Epstein, but their relationship fractured in the mid-2000s. Since Trump entered the White House, Epstein has become a political burden, with both right-wing and left-wing critics taking aim at the administration’s handling of the matter.

During his campaign, Trump suggested he was open to making all “Epstein files” public, yet after one minimal disclosure, the Department of Justice stated in July that further releases were not needed—fueling frustration even among his supporters.

The screenshot made public on Monday matches the description previously reported by The Wall Street Journal, which described the note as a “bawdy” message. At the time, Trump strongly rejected any link to it, declaring, “These are not my words, not the way I talk.” He quickly filed a $10 billion lawsuit against the paper and Rupert Murdoch.

Following Monday’s release, Rep. Robert Garcia of California, the lead Democrat on the Oversight Committee, claimed the letter indicates Trump is “involved in a cover up” related to Epstein. Comer, however, stressed that Trump “is not accused of any wrongdoing and Democrats are ignoring the new information the Committee received today.”

The book of birthday notes itself was partly compiled with the help of Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to recruit young women. In a July interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell said she could not remember who exactly contributed to the birthday book. “It’s been so long,” she remarked. Maxwell has since asked the Supreme Court to take up her appeal.