Trump-Epstein live updates: House Republican suggests autopen behind birthday letter ‘signed’ by president

Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett is among several House Republicans who have denied that President Donald Trump signed a bawdy 50th birthday card for the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Burchett told reporters upon leaving the U.S. Capitol building Monday night that the 2003 note, released by the House Oversight Comittee on Monday evening, was “forged.”

“I mean, anybody can do a signature,” he said. “We’ve seen autopens used quite a bit… with the Biden administration.”

“I’ve never known Trump to be much of an artist either, so I draw that into question,” he continued, despite a CNN reporter pressing the congressman on Trump’s “history” of drawing.

When asked whether he thought “someone just forged this,” Burchett replied: “Yeah, somehow. It’s so easy to do. I just don’t buy any of it right now because we have a prior administration that has a history of dishonesty.”

Peter Mandelson appeared to refer to Jeffrey Epstein as his “best pal” as he shared a photograph of the pair together in which he is wearing a bathrobe, according to files released by a US Congressional committee.

Britain’s ambassador to Washington features as part of a 50th birthday book for Epstein, compiled by the late financier’s ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, currently in prison for her role in recruiting and trafficking minors for sex.

The book contained a photo of Lord Mandelson and Epstein on what appeared to be the millionaire’s island, as well as a handwritten note for the pedophile.

“Once upon a time, an intelligent, sharp-witted man they call ‘mysterious’ parachuted into my life,” Lord Mandelson’s alleged note read.

The note appeared to reference “interesting” friends he had been left to entertain by Epstein. “But wherever he is in the world, he remains my best pal,” it concluded.

Lord Mandelson appeared to add: “Happy birthday, Jeffrey, we love you!!”

The Independent has contacted the British Embassy in Washington for comment

Political correspondent Archie Mitchell has more:

After sharing an alleged bawdy birthday letter from Donald Trump to Jeffrey Epstein, which the president vehemently denies writing, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee posted a second page from the so-called “birthday book.”

On Monday evening, the Oversight Dems account posted an image of Epstein holding a large check with the caption: “Epstein and a longtime Mar-a-Lago member joking about selling a ‘fully depreciated’ woman to Donald Trump for $22,500.”

“Jeffrey showing early talents with money + women! Sells ‘fully depreciated’ [name redacted] to Donald Trump for $22,500,” the note read in block capitals. It is not clear who wrote the letter.

“Showed early ‘people skills’ too. Even though I handled the deal I didn’t get any of the money or the girl!,” it added.

Donald Trump’s alleged “bawdy” letter to Jeffrey Epstein that features a hand-drawn figure of a naked woman along with the president’s reported signature has now been made public after lawyers for the estate of the deceased sexual offender provided a copy of the birthday book to the House Oversight Committee.

“President Trump called the Epstein investigation a hoax and claimed that his birthday note didn’t exist. Now we know that Donald Trump was lying and is doing everything he can to cover up the truth,” Oversight ranking member Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) said on Monday after House Democrats shared the image on social media. “Enough of the games and lies, release the full files now.”

The publication of the letter comes two months after the Wall Street Journal first reported on its existence, noting that the “bawdy” card was allegedly sent to Epstein in 2003 as part of a 50th birthday present to the disgraced financier. The card features the figure of a nude woman with Trump’s signature seemingly mimicking pubic hair.

Read more from Justin Baragona:

Republican congresswoman Nancy Mace has expanded on why she was forced to walk out of a meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s empire of sexual abuse last week.

In a video posted on X on Sunday, the South Carolina representative — who is also running for governor there — described how one of the women’s testimony triggered a trauma reaction stemming from Mace’s own history of being raped.

“I was not prepared for what I was walking into. I thought I was, but really I wasn’t,” Mace said.

Mace’s video, set to a dramatic movie-score-style soundtrack, offered no apology or contrition for her continuing endorsement of President Donald Trump — who allegedly had previous close ties to Epstein, was found liable for sexually assaulting E. Jean Carroll, and has been accused of sex crimes by numerous women.

“Donald Trump is the one who banned Jeffrey Epstein from Mar-a-Lago,” she told The Independent after last Tuesday’s hearing. “He was an FBI informant, and he talked to the feds to get this guy turned over. So Donald Trump is a hero in this.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson also called Trump an FBI informant in the Epstein case but walked back those comments, telling reporters, “I don’t know if I used the right terminology.”

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, has said the lewd birthday card claimed to be authored by President Donald Trump and gifted to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein “doesn’t prove anything.”

Leaving the U.S. Capitol building Monday night, Massie, who is pushing to force a House vote to release documents related to Epstein, said, “It doesn’t prove anything,” per the Associated Press.

“Having a birthday card from Trump doesn’t help the survivors and the victims,” he added.

The White House has denied Trump authored or signed the card.

Representative Jasmine Crockett, a Texas Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, has called Donald Trump a “liar” after White House called a letter claimed to be from the president to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein a “fake.”

John Bowden writes about the aftermath of the release of a birthday letter claimed to be from President Donald Trump to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein:

On Monday, the White House’s explanation remained firm. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and other members of the Trump comms team declared that the signature on the letter was a forgery, though it bears impeccable resemblances to other signatures verifiably made by the president over the years, including during his time in the White House.

“The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire “Birthday Card” story is false.

“As I have said all along, it’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it,” Leavitt wrote on X. “President Trump’s legal team will continue to aggressively pursue litigation.”

Taylor Budowich, another White House official, added: “Time for @newscorp to open that checkbook, it’s not his signature!”

But there was no explanation for why the Epstein estate would have forged Trump’s signature — and [Ghislaine] Maxwell herself has already validated the authenticity of the book itself, though she told the Justice Department she couldn’t remember whether she’d solicited Trump for a note for the birthday book.

President Donald Trump, known for his off-the-cuff responses on Truth Social, remained silent on the social network Monday night about House Democrats’ release of a lewd birthday card he is claimed to have authored and gifted to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump made several posts on Truth Social late Monday afternoon into Monday night. But none of them addressed the birthday letter.

The White House did, however, respond to the letter, calling it “fake news.” Trump has previously denied authoring the letter and sued The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the letter in July, for defamation.

Several House Republicans denied President Donald Trump signed a lewd birthday card for the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as they left the U.S. Capitol building Monday night.

Representative Byron Donalds of Florida said, “It’s not his signature,” per the Associated Press. “I’ve seen Donald Trump sign a million things.”

Tennessee Congressman Tim Burchett insisted the signature was fake, adding, “I’ve never known Trump to be much of an artist either.”

The birthday card also featured what looked like an outline of a naked woman.