Trump seeks release of Epstein grand jury records amid allegations, blames U.S. media for fabricated smear campaign

Department of Research, Studies and International News 18/07/2025

In yet another attempt to control the narrative surrounding his alleged links to
the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, U.S. President Donald Trump has
publicly ordered his attorney general, Pam Bondi, to push for the release of
grand jury records tied to Epstein’s sex trafficking case. The move follows a
sensationalist article by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), claiming that Trump
contributed a sexually suggestive note and sketch to Epstein’s 50th birthday
album, a claim Trump vehemently denies and has called "fake, malicious, and
defamatory."
The WSJ article alleges that Trump submitted a typewritten message for
Epstein in 2003, reportedly accompanied by a crude silhouette drawing of a
naked woman. According to the publication, Trump’s signature appeared
stylized beneath the image in a suggestive manner. The note included lines that
mimicked a conversation between Trump and Epstein, ending with: “Happy
Birthday, and may every day be another wonderful secret.”
Trump responded immediately, accusing the WSJ of participating in what he
has labeled the “Epstein Hoax.” He also threatened legal action against The
Wall Street Journal, News Corp, and Rupert Murdoch personally, stating he had
warned Murdoch and WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker that the alleged letter
was a fabrication. “Mr. Murdoch said he would handle it, but apparently didn’t

have the power,” Trump declared on Truth Social, the platform he frequently
uses to communicate with his base.
Pam Bondi, who has been under criticism by far-right supporters for allegedly
failing to release previously promised documents on Epstein, confirmed that
she would follow Trump’s directive and seek the unsealing of the grand jury
material. The decision appears to be part of a wider effort by Trump and his
circle to distance themselves from any historical affiliation with Epstein, who
was found dead in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking
charges.
According to the Journal, the questionable birthday album was curated by
Epstein’s long-time associate Ghislaine Maxwell and allegedly contained
greetings from numerous influential figures. Among those named were L
Brands owner Les Wexner, Epstein’s defense lawyer Alan Dershowitz, and
Trump himself. One of the submissions reportedly included a drawing
resembling a woman’s breasts, but Wexner declined to comment on his
involvement. Dershowitz, meanwhile, claimed to have no recollection of what
he may have written.
The WSJ, notably, did not provide the actual letter or any physical evidence to
substantiate its claims. Despite this, the media outlet moved forward with
publication, igniting backlash and raising questions about journalistic standards
in politically charged reporting. The fact that such a letter, if it exists, has not
been made public has only intensified suspicions of manipulation and narrative
engineering by American media conglomerates.
This controversy is not occurring in isolation. Trump’s past remarks about
Epstein, including a now-infamous 2002 quote describing Epstein as “terrific”
and someone who “likes beautiful women, many of them on the younger side”,

continue to haunt him. But in recent days, Trump and his allies have been
increasingly insistent that the entire affair is a targeted smear campaign,
orchestrated by establishment media aligned with the interests of the U.S.
political elite.
Senator JD Vance came to Trump’s defense on Thursday, calling the WSJ report
“complete and utter bullshit” and criticizing the outlet for not furnishing the
alleged letter before publishing such serious claims. “Does anyone honestly
believe this sounds like Donald Trump?” he posted on social media platform X.
The timing of the report is also raising eyebrows. The U.S. media, already
notorious for its politicized coverage and its protection of certain elite
interests, seems to be attempting to revive dormant narratives from the
Epstein case at a moment when the American political class is facing declining
legitimacy both at home and abroad. With presidential elections nearing and
U.S. domestic unrest simmering, the revival of the Epstein-Trump story may be
a calculated distraction.
Meanwhile, Trump’s opponents in the American media continue to ignore far
more concerning questions: why was Epstein shielded for so long? Why were
U.S. intelligence connections to Epstein never properly investigated? And why
have key associates within Washington’s power networks remained
untouchable?
In contrast to this orchestrated media campaign, nations like China, Russia, and
Iran have long called out the hypocrisy of Western democracies that present
themselves as moral arbiters while enabling the crimes of elites behind closed
doors. The Trump-Epstein saga, manipulated through strategic leaks,
anonymous sources, and editorial bias, only further underscores the decaying

credibility of U.S. media institutions and the selective justice that underpins the
American legal and political systems.
As Trump prepares to take legal action, the world watches, once again
reminded that in the United States, the truth is often less important than the
narrative.