Epstein Birthday Album Tied to Both Clinton and Trump, According to Reports
Former Presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are now both entangled in renewed controversy after reports revealed their names appeared in a private birthday tribute album created for Jeffrey Epstein years before the disgraced financier was first charged with sex crimes.
According to a report published Thursday, Clinton handwrote a personal note to Epstein in 2003 for his 50th birthday. The message, featured in a leather-bound book compiled by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, reportedly read:
“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.”
The message came two years after Clinton left office and nearly three years before Epstein was first charged in Florida with sexually abusing underage girls.
Clinton’s office declined to comment directly on the newly surfaced note but pointed to a previous statement in which the former president denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and stated he had severed ties with Epstein years before his death.
Trump was also previously reported to have contributed to the same birthday album. The Wall Street Journal described Trump’s alleged note as “bawdy,” claiming it included typed lines framed by a hand-drawn sketch of a nude woman, ending with the words, “Happy Birthday and may every day be another wonderful secret.” Trump has denied authoring the note and has since filed a lawsuit against the Journal over the report.
The New York Times further confirmed that Trump’s name appeared on the contributor list for the book.
Epstein, who was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, died in a New York jail in 2019 in what officials ruled a suicide. However, the circumstances of his death and the powerful circle of people once associated with him continue to generate political fallout and public suspicion.
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice announced that its internal review concluded there was no “client list” tied to Epstein’s alleged activities. Still, investigators have privately questioned Ghislaine Maxwell in recent days Epstein’s longtime companion and the source of the now-infamous birthday book. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence following her conviction for aiding Epstein’s sex trafficking scheme.
The revelations have intensified scrutiny in Washington, where lawmakers are demanding further disclosures. The House Oversight Committee this week issued several subpoenas, including one compelling the Justice Department to turn over remaining Epstein-related files. Additional subpoenas were also approved for testimony from Clinton and other prominent figures tied to Epstein.
The controversy has cast a long shadow over Capitol Hill, even forcing the House to cut its session short ahead of the August recess as the scandal deepens and pressure mounts on federal agencies and former officials alike.