meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Journal.

Trump’s Letter to Jeffrey Epstein

The Journal.

The Wall Street Journal

Daily News, Business News, News

4.25.3K Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2003, Jeffrey Epstein got a gift for his 50th birthday, a leather-bound album containing letters, poems, photos and greetings from friends. One of the letters was from Donald Trump. The president says the letter "is a fake thing." WSJ’s Khadeeja Safdar reveals what’s in the letter and Sadie Gurman explores what it means for Trump and the Department of Justice. Jessica Mendoza hosts.  Further Listening: -JPMorgan's $75 Million Jeffrey Epstein Settlement  Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Yesterday, our colleague Kadeja Safdar broke a story about a book of letters.

0:11.0

The book was a gift for Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender.

0:17.0

I discovered that there was a birthday book that was given to Epstein for his 50th birthday

0:24.7

that Yelan Maxwell had compiled it and it contained poems, pictures, drawings, and letters from

0:32.8

Epstein's family and friends. And among those were some powerful people.

0:40.4

And there was like dozens of associates in this book.

0:47.0

The leather-bound book of letters was from 2003, before Epstein was first arrested in 2006.

0:50.7

One of the letters was from now President Donald Trump.

0:56.1

There was a letter in the book, and it had Trump's signature on it and several lines of typewritten text and then around that text was an outline of a naked woman and it looked

1:03.5

like it had been drawn almost like with a sharpie. And then in the midst of the text like

1:08.7

there was two small arcs that showed what appeared to be like the woman's breasts.

1:14.3

And on the bottom was Trump's signature, but just the first name, Donald.

1:19.3

The future president's signature was written below the woman's waist, a squiggle mimicking pubic hair.

1:25.4

The text itself was like this fictitious conversation between Donald and Jeffrey.

1:30.0

What did it say?

1:31.7

It started the voiceover.

1:33.2

There must be more to life than having everything.

1:36.0

Donald, yes there is, but I won't tell you what it is.

1:39.0

Jeffrey, nor will I, since I also know what it is.

1:42.3

Donald, we have certain things in common, Jeffrey.

1:45.5

Jeffrey, yes, we do, come to think of it. Donald, enigma's never age. Have you noticed that?

1:51.6

Jeffrey, as a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you. Donald, a pal is a wonderful

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in 20 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Wall Street Journal, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of The Wall Street Journal and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.