The White House said on Tuesday it would support a forensic analysis of a letter purportedly signed by US President Donald Trump for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, insisting the note was a forgery.
The letter, released Monday by House Democrats, was said to have appeared in Epstein’s “birthday book” more than two decades ago and included a sketch of a woman’s body alongside a cryptic message about secrets. Trump, who knew Epstein socially before cutting ties years before his death, has strongly denied writing it.
“That’s not my language. It’s nonsense,” Trump told reporters, dismissing both the style and the signature as inauthentic. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt doubled down, stating: “The president did not write this letter. He did not sign this letter.” She added that Trump also never signed a check to Epstein that has circulated publicly.
The signature dispute has further inflamed political tensions around the Epstein case, which has long haunted Washington. House Oversight Committee chair James Comer, who subpoenaed Epstein’s estate for documents, said he believed Trump’s denial. But Republican Representative Thomas Massie called for a forensic review, saying the handwriting “looks like his signature.”
For Trump, the controversy carries political risks. While only 17% of Americans approve of his handling of the Epstein matter, support among Republicans rose to 44%, up from 35% in July.
Leavitt accused Democrats of weaponising the case to damage Trump politically. “They are desperately trying to concoct a hoax to smear the president of the United States,” she said.
Despite mounting questions, Comer suggested his committee is unlikely to fund an official forensic review of the decades-old document.
Melissa Enoch
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