WASHINGTON, D.C.: A new controversy has erupted around President Donald Trump's past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as his administration faces mounting pressure to release long-promised records related to the disgraced financier's sex trafficking case.

The furor began when The Wall Street Journal published a story about a sexually suggestive letter allegedly signed by Trump and included in Epstein's 50th birthday album in 2003. The letter, described but not fully published, reportedly featured a hand-drawn outline of a naked woman and a note saying, "Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret." According to the Journal, the letter was assembled by Epstein's longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.

Trump swiftly denied the claim, calling it "false, malicious, and defamatory," and said he had spoken with the paper's owner, Rupert Murdoch, and editor-in-chief Emma Tucker to demand a retraction. He insisted the note was fabricated, declaring, "These are not my words, not the way I talk. Also, I don't draw pictures." He also vowed to sue the paper over the report.

Vice President J.D. Vance came to Trump's defense, questioning the Journal's decision to publish the piece without producing the full document. "Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it?" Vance asked on X (formerly Twitter). "Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?"

Amid the uproar, Trump authorized Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the release of grand jury transcripts from Epstein's prosecution, aiming to prove his commitment to transparency and counter ongoing allegations of a cover-up. Bondi quickly responded, posting on social media that she was ready to ask the court to unseal the testimony.

However, legal experts noted that grand jury material is highly confidential, and such a request faces major legal hurdles. Bondi's move came just days after the Department of Justice (DOJ) reiterated that Epstein's 2019 death was a suicide and that no further materials would be made public. That decision has enraged Trump's right-wing base, many of whom believe Epstein's death covered up wrongdoing by influential figures.

Trump's push to unseal records comes after years of mixed messaging. While he has long distanced himself from Epstein — famously saying, "I haven't spoken to him in 15 years" — he also drew support from communities promoting theories about elite corruption. The Journal's report and the DOJ's closed-door approach have reignited those suspicions.

Trump has also criticized his allies who have demanded more documents from the Epstein investigation, labeling them "weaklings" even as he courts their political support. Some of these figures had previously accused Bondi herself of dragging her feet on disclosure, contributing to a perception of internal disarray.

Bondi defended her earlier decision to withhold many Epstein-related files, citing the presence of child sexual abuse content in the video evidence. However, critics on both sides of the aisle continue to demand more transparency, with lawmakers in Congress exploring ways to compel the DOJ and FBI to release additional documents and footage.

Tensions recently boiled over at a White House meeting between Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino, reportedly due to disagreements over disclosure policy. Neither official has commented publicly on the exchange.

The resurfacing of Trump's ties to Epstein has also drawn renewed attention to archival footage of the two men together. In 2019, NBC News released video from a 1992 party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, showing Trump and Epstein laughing and gesturing toward women dancing nearby. At the time, Trump had recently divorced and was frequently seen on the Palm Beach social scene.

"He was a fixture in Palm Beach," Trump said in 2019. "I had a falling-out with him a long time ago."

Ghislaine Maxwell, who helped Epstein recruit and abuse underage girls, was convicted in 2021 and is now serving a 20-year sentence. Epstein was first arrested in 2006 and died by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

As the political and legal fallout continues, Trump appears determined to take control of the narrative. He is fighting back against media reports, pressuring the DOJ, and trying to reassure supporters that he has nothing to hide. Whether those efforts succeed remains to be seen, as the Epstein saga continues to cast a long shadow over those once connected to him.