Donald Trump described Jeffrey Epstein as ‘the greatest’ in a newly unearthed message he wrote for the disgraced billionaire on a copy of his 1997 book ‘Trump: The Art of the Comeback.’
Trump addressed a copy of the book to Epstein in October the year it was printed, according to The New York Times, which published a picture of the now-president’s handwritten message.
The words of admiration allegedly read: ‘To Jeff – You are the greatest!’
The short note is signed off by Trump, and dated October 1997.
The revelation came as more secrets emerge of Epstein’s now infamous 50th birthday book, in which Trump repeatedly insisted he did not participate.
The New York Times reported Trump was included in the ‘contributors list’ for the book, which was organized by Epstein’s right-hand woman Ghislaine Maxwell.
The publication printed a letter from Maxwell which explained how the birthday present came about, noting: ‘The idea behind this book was simply to gather stories and old photographs to jog your memory about places, people and different events.
‘Some of the letters will definitely achieve their intended goal. Some, well… you will have to read to see for yourself.’
Donald Trump described Jeffrey Epstein as ‘the greatest’ in a newly unearthed message he wrote for the disgraced billionaire on a copy of his 1997 book ‘Trump: The Art of the Comeback’
The words of admiration allegedly read: ‘To Jeff – You are the greatest!’ The short note is signed off by Trump, and dated October 1997
Maxwell told Epstein she knew he ‘would enjoy looking through the book.’
‘I hope you will derive so much pleasure looking through it as I did putting it together for you. Happy happy birthday. Love Ghislaine.’
The Times reported that the contributor list for the gift also included former Victoria’s Secret owner Leslie H. Wexner, Wall Street titan Alan C. Greenberg, and Nobel-winning physicist Murray Gell-Mann.
Trump lashed out after the story was published with a Truth Social post, writing: ‘The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America.’
He said ‘many are saying [it] is the BEST six months in Presidential history.
‘They have gone absolutely CRAZY, and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but, this time, under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM.
‘As things are revealed and, I hope will take place quickly, you will see that it is yet another Democrat CON JOB.’
In the weeks since Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed there was ‘no Epstein client list’, Trump has been hard at work trying to convince MAGA loyalists that all the information they were promised on Trump’s presidential campaign trail was no more than a hoax orchestrated by the Democrats to bring him undone.
‘Hopefully, the Grand Jury Files will put an end to this HOAX,’ he wrote.
The publication printed a letter from Maxwell which explained how the idea for the birthday present came about, noting: ‘The idea behind this book was simply to gather stories and old photographs to jog your memory about places, people and different events
‘Everyone should see what is there, but people who are innocent should not be hurt.’
But Trump is having trouble convincing some diehard MAGA fans that there is nothing juicy worth sharing, and the topic has become a thorn in his side as he looks to move on and put the Epstein files behind him.
One-time MAGA loyalists are particularly cynical after a piece in The Wall Street Journal last week claimed Trump submitted a risqué hand-drawn picture of a naked woman with a cryptic message inside for the birthday book.
Trump wrote the note on Epstein’s copy of his 1997 book
The birthday letter included what appears to be Trump’s famous signature and was obtained by the WSJ.
The outline of a naked woman allegedly frames typewritten text which reads: ‘Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.’
According to the Journal, the naked woman appeared to have been hand-drawn with a marker, with a pair of arcs indicating the woman’s breasts and a squiggly signature reading ‘Donald’ appearing in her pubic region, mimicking hair.
The alleged letter reportedly contained an imaginary conversation between Epstein and Trump, written in third person.
In the imaginary conversation, ‘Donald’ writes: ‘We have certain things in common, Jeffrey’, to which ‘Jeffrey’ replies: ‘Yes we do, come to think of it.’
‘Donald’ then responds: ‘Enigmas never age, have you noticed that’, and imaginary ‘Jeffrey’ says ‘as a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you.’
Trump is having trouble convincing some diehard MAGA fans that there is nothing juicy worth sharing, and the topic has become a thorn in his side as he looks to move on and put the Epstein files behind him
Trump furiously denied the allegations and launched a mammoth lawsuit the next day, suing the journalists by name, as well as the publication and Rupert Murdoch himself.
If the case proceeds, Trump would need to clear a demanding ‘actual malice’ standard that must be met by public figures to win in U.S. defamation cases.
The standard means Trump must prove the paper knew the article was false or acted with reckless disregard for its truth.
He is seeking at least $10 billion on each of two defamation counts.
Trump categorically denied any involvement in the drawing or writing of the text.
‘This is not me,’ he said. ‘This is a fake thing. It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story.
‘I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women. It’s not my language. It’s not my words.’
It is understood the letter forms part of the initial investigation into Epstein and Maxwell that the Justice Department conducted years ago, however it is unclear whether it was examined during the Attorney General’s recent search.
Maxwell told Epstein she knew he ‘would enjoy looking through the book’
Trump lashed out after the story was published with a Truth Social post, writing: ‘The Radical Left Democrats are doing everything in their power to distract and obfuscate from our GREAT six months of service to America’
Senior administration officials claimed that Attorney General Bondi told Trump during a May 2025 meeting that his name was found in the Epstein documents more than previously thought, among hundreds of other high-profile individuals.
The files contained ‘unverified hearsay’ about Trump and the individuals who had social connections to Epstein, the officials claim.
Bondi recommended in that same meeting, according to the Wall Street Journal, that the administration not release more files because they contained child pornography and personal information for victims.
Trump, the sources claim, deferred to his attorney general on whether to make additional files public.
Just because the president is named in the files does not implicate him in any wrongdoing or connect him to Epstein’s child sex trafficking crimes.
Former president Bill Clinton also contributed to the infamous leather-bound book for Epstein‘s 50th birthday, the WSJ claimed on Thursday.
‘It’s reassuring isn’t it, to have lasted as long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible word], and also to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends,’ read the message scrawled in Clinton’s handwriting.
A spokesperson for Clinton declined to comment when approached by the WSJ, but pointed to a previous statement which maintained Clinton had cut Epstein off more than a decade before his 2019 arrest.
Clinton has long maintained he did not know of the allegations against Epstein. He was awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges when he committed suicide in his cell.
