Trump team to seek release of Epstein documents / Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS - AFP/File
Trump team to seek release of Epstein documents
Donald Trump's administration said it would seek the release of grand jury testimony related to Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, as the US president sought to dispel lingering political fallout over his team's handling of the late financier's sex trafficking case.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department will ask a court to unseal the grand jury transcripts, as Trump's relationship with Epstein came under the spotlight again over an alleged off-color letter published by the Wall Street Journal.
Trump called the letter a scam and threatened to sue "the ass off" the WSJ and its owner Rupert Murdoch.
He has been facing a firestorm over his past relationship with Epstein, as well as claims that his administration is covering up lurid details of Epstein's crimes to protect rich and powerful figures.
Epstein died by suicide in a New York prison in 2019 -- during Trump's first term -- after being charged with federal sex trafficking in a scheme where he allegedly groomed young and underage women for sexual abuse by his wealthy contacts.
He was previously required to register as a sex offender in Florida after pleading guilty to two felony prostitution-related charges.
The article in the Journal says the letter featuring a sketch of a naked woman and Trump's signature was part of a collection of notes for Epstein's 50th birthday in 2003.
The newspaper says it reviewed the letter but did not print an image.
"I told Rupert Murdoch it was a Scam, that he shouldn't print this Fake Story," Trump wrote on his Truth Social network.
"But he did, and now I'm going to sue his ass off, and that of his third rate newspaper."
Trump said in an earlier post WSJ editor-in-chief Emma Tucker "was told directly by (White House press secretary) Karoline Leavitt, and by President Trump, that the letter was a FAKE."
The Republican president called the story "false, malicious, and defamatory."
"Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval," he wrote on Truth Social late on Thursday.
Shortly after, Bondi said on social media that the Justice Department intended to seek the unsealing of grand jury transcripts in court on Friday.
Whether she would succeed remained uncertain, given the strict secrecy surrounding grand jury transcripts.
"President Trump -- we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts," Bondi wrote.
- 'Another wonderful secret' -
The alleged letter is raunchy, as were others in the collection, the Journal reported. It contains several lines of typewritten text, contained in an outline of a naked woman drawn with a marker.
"The future president's signature is a squiggly 'Donald' below her waist, mimicking pubic hair," the Journal reported.
"The letter concludes: 'Happy Birthday -- and may every day be another wonderful secret.'"
Trump denied writing the letter or drawing the figure, telling the Journal: "This is not me. This is a fake thing."
"I don't draw pictures of women," he said. "It's not my language. It's not my words."
- Epstein row -
The Trump-supporting far-right has long latched onto the Epstein scandal, claiming the existence of a still-secret client list and that he was murdered in his cell as part of a cover-up.
Trump supporters expected the Republican to answer their questions on his return to office in January but now find themselves being told the conspiracy theories are false.
The Justice Department and FBI said in a memo made public this month that there was no evidence that Epstein kept a "client list" or was blackmailing powerful people.
They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his suicide, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.
That could change if grand jury testimony or evidence are released.
US media reported on Thursday that a federal prosecutor who handled Epstein's case, who is the daughter of a prominent Trump critic, was abruptly fired.
Maurene Comey, whose father is former FBI director James Comey, was dismissed Wednesday from her position as an assistant US attorney in Manhattan, the reports said.
Vice President JD Vance wrote on X that the WSJ "should be ashamed" for publishing the story.
However, Democratic lawmaker Pat Ryan wrote: "I think we now know EXACTLY why Donald Trump refuses to release the Epstein files."
L.Lambert--JdCdC
