The day's other headlines start with reaction to a letter allegedly signed by President Donald

Trump for Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday back in 2003, which the Wall Street Journal first

reported back in July. The letter was among documents released late Monday by the House

Oversight Committee and its reviving scrutiny of Mr. Trump's ties to the late convicted

sex offender and intensifying calls to release the scrutiny of Mr. Trump's ties to the late convicted sex offender

and intensifying calls to release the rest of the Epstein files.

The White House tonight is fighting to contain the fallout after House Democrats released

Jeffrey Epstein case documents that referenced the president by name.

That this absolutely was not the president's authentic signature, and we have maintained that position all along.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, referring to this letter in Jeffrey Epstein's so-called

birthday book from 2003, which appears to be signed by President Trump.

It shows a silhouette of a woman's body, framing text that says,

We have certain things in common and references a, quote, wonderful secret.

Another page from the book includes a photo of a check that appears to show Epstein jokingly selling a, quote,

fully depreciated woman to Mr. Trump. The president in a brief phone interview with NBC News this

morning refused to discuss the matter, saying, I don't comment on something that's a dead issue.

I gave all comments to the staff. It's a dead issue. But Epstein remains a fraught subject for Mr. Trump.

It dredges up uncomfortable questions about his past associations and fractures his political coalition. Some in his base dismiss it as old news, while others see it as part of a broader pattern of scandal that undercuts his outsider appeal. The president has repeatedly called the letter fake and sued the Wall Street Journal for defamation after the paper

first reported its existence in July. House Republicans largely lined up behind the president today,

including chairman of the House Oversight Committee, James Comer. The president says he did not sign it,

so I take the president of his word. Meantime across the aisle, Democrats today pushed Republicans to support a procedural maneuver

that would force a vote on releasing the remainder of the Epstein files.

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