Trump Sues Murdoch, WSJ Over Epstein Birthday Letter
Trump Sues Daily Mail Over Alleged Ghislaine Maxwell Birthday Letter
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Former President claims “Fake” Letter, Denies Drawing, Cites lack of Evidence in Lawsuit
New York, NY – Former President Donald Trump has filed a lawsuit against the Daily Mail over a story alleging he sent a birthday letter to convicted sex trafficker ghislaine Maxwell, which he vehemently denies.The lawsuit, filed in a New York federal court, accuses the newspaper of defamation and fabricating the story to damage his reputation.
The Daily Mail reported that the letter, purportedly sent to Maxwell as part of a birthday album for Jeffrey Epstein years before Epstein’s initial arrest in 2006, contained text framed by a drawing of a naked woman and ended with the phrase, “Happy Birthday – and may every day be another marvelous secret.”
Trump has strongly refuted the report, stating, “These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don’t draw pictures.” He claims to have spoken directly with the newspaper’s owner,Rupert Murdoch,and its top editor,Emma Tucker,prior to the story’s publication,informing them that the letter was “fake.”
A key point of contention in Trump’s lawsuit is the Daily Mail’s failure to provide photographic evidence of the letter or the alleged drawing, nor did they detail how they obtained the document. The lawsuit asserts that the defendants “failed to attach the letter, failed to attach the alleged drawing, failed to show proof that President Trump authored or signed any such letter, and failed to explain how this purported letter was obtained.” Trump’s legal team argues that “no authentic letter or drawing exists” and that the story was “concocted… to malign President Trump’s character and integrity and deceptively portray him in a false light.”
Push for unsealing Epstein Transcripts Continues Amidst Lawsuit
The lawsuit comes as Deputy Attorney general todd Blanche filed motions in a separate federal court urging the unsealing of Epstein’s transcripts, as well as those related to the case against Maxwell.Maxwell was convicted of luring teenage girls for sexual abuse by Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.
The Justice Department’s declaration that it would not be releasing further Epstein files had previously drawn criticism from segments of Trump’s base, especially given earlier assurances from members of his administration about anticipated disclosures. The department stated its intention to work with New York prosecutors to redact victim-related and personally identifying information before releasing transcripts, emphasizing that “Transparency in this process will not be at the expense of our obligation under the law to protect victims.”
Despite the renewed efforts to release grand jury transcripts,the administration has not indicated plans to release other evidence in its possession. this follows an initial disclosure of Epstein files in February that reportedly contained no new revelations, leading to public outcry.
Legal Hurdles for Transcript Release
The release of grand jury transcripts requires judicial approval and is expected to be a lengthy process. Judges will need to determine what information can be made public and oversee the redactions necessary to protect sensitive witness and victim details. These records are anticipated to include testimony and evidence presented by prosecutors during the secret grand jury proceedings,which are used to decide whether sufficient evidence exists to bring formal criminal charges.
Neumeister and colvin reported from New York.