Stuart LauBBC Information and
Sarah SmithNorth America editor
US Division of Justice/PAA US congressional panel has launched a redacted copy of an alleged “birthday guide” given to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 celebrating his fiftieth birthday.
The guide was launched with a trove of paperwork that embody the late convicted paedophile financier’s will and his private tackle guide – with contacts that embody royalty, politicians throughout the globe, celebrities and fashions.
The 238-page guide incorporates messages and images despatched by lots of Epstein’s mates, together with a letter carrying a signature resembling US President Donald Trump’s. Trump has denied ever writing the birthday observe.
Epstein, a well-connected financier and convicted intercourse offender, was discovered useless by suicide in 2019 whereas awaiting a trial for intercourse trafficking.
What was launched and why now?
The Home Oversight Committee final month issued a authorized summons for the executors of Epstein’s property to provide quite a lot of paperwork, together with a birthday guide which incorporates the observe purportedly from Trump.
Legal professionals for the property despatched paperwork to the committee afterwards.
On Monday, the committee launched the alleged birthday guide in addition to Epstein’s will, entries from his contact books containing addresses from 1990 to 2019, and a non-prosecution settlement signed by him.
How did we get right here?
The Trump administration has been grappling with rising requires the so-called “Epstein information” to be launched of their entirety – together with from Trump’s Make America Nice Once more (Maga) base.
Reviews emerged that the president was advised in Might by his lawyer common that his title appeared in information associated to the investigations into Epstein.
The pair have been mates within the Nineties and early 2000s. Being named will not be proof of any prison exercise, nor has Trump ever been accused of wrongdoing in reference to the Epstein matter.
Trump had mentioned throughout the 2024 election that he could be open to creating extra info public, and his marketing campaign leaned right into a perception widespread amongst some Maga supporters that key truths about Epstein’s life and loss of life have been being hidden.
However he modified his place in July. The Division of Justice and FBI said in a memo that no extra materials could be launched, whereas Trump mentioned the case was closed and criticised his personal supporters who had continued to press him on it.
A few of his conservative supporters had already voiced frustration together with his administration’s dealing with of disclosures relating to the Epstein information, notably after Legal professional Common Pam Bondi launched paperwork that had already been obtainable publicly.
Bipartisan strain for extra transparency endured. In late July, the Republican Home introduced an early recess for the chamber, stalling efforts to drive the discharge of Epstein-related paperwork inside 30 days.
What did Trump allegedly write?
ReutersThe alleged entry from Trump incorporates a signed observe outlined by a sketch of a lady’s physique.
The ultimate line reads: “A pal is a superb factor. Glad birthday – and will day by day be one other great secret.”
This matches descriptions by the Wall Avenue Journal, which first reported the letter in July.
The observe options what seems to be an imagined dialog between Trump and Epstein, the place they agree there’s “extra to life than having all the pieces” and that they “have sure issues in frequent”.
Trump has not commented on the observe’s launch, although the White Home has denied he produced something for the guide and mentioned the signature on the observe didn’t match Trump’s.
The White Home mentioned the president “didn’t draw this image, and he didn’t signal it”.
Who else was named within the ‘birthday guide’?
Entries from 40 folks, divided into a number of classes comparable to “mates”, “enterprise”, “science” and “Brooklyn”, have been printed, although the names below “household” and “woman mates” have been redacted.
These persons are not accused of any authorized wrongdoing in reference to Epstein’s case.
The doc contained a message which seems to have been written by former US President Invoice Clinton. The creator wrote about Epstein’s “childlike curiosity” and a “drive to make a distinction”.
Clinton’s workplace has not responded to a BBC request for remark.
The entry by Lord Peter Mandelson, presently the UK ambassador to the US, calls Epstein “my finest pal” and contains a number of images.
Alongside one image of Lord Mandelson with two ladies, whose faces are obscured, he writes about assembly Epstein’s fascinating – in inverted commas – mates.
An official spokesperson for Lord Mandelson has advised the BBC that he “has lengthy been clear that he very a lot regrets ever having been launched to Epstein,” including: “This connection has been a matter of public document for a while.”
There is not a letter from Prince Andrew. However an entry from an unidentified lady says that due to Epstein she had met the Prince, Invoice Clinton and Trump.
The lady goes on to say she has “seen the non-public quarters of Buckingham Palace” and “sat on the Queen of England’s throne.” Prince Andrew has beforehand denied any wrongdoing.
What are the opposite entries about?
There’s a variety of content material from folks from all walks of life – from occupants of the White Home to ladies working as masseuses.
An unidentified lady recalled how she was a 22-year-old restaurant hostess till she met Epstein, after which she travelled the world and met many notable folks together with royals.
There have been additionally images of Epstein all through the years – from his non-public jet to a random Asian drugs store, and him embracing ladies whose faces have been redacted.
Others despatched him images, some containing lewd scenes that includes wild animals from a safari together with zebras and lions.
The guide begins with an introduction by Ghislaine Maxwell – Epstein’s British co-conspirator and ex-girlfriend, who was convicted in 2021 of conspiring with Epstein to visitors ladies for intercourse. She wrote that she hoped Epstein obtained “as a lot pleasure wanting by means of” the guide as she did placing it collectively.
It additionally features a hand-written observe from Epstein’s mom, who recalled his childhood as an “wonderful” scholar earlier than praising his “achievements” as an grownup, together with his limousines and journal options about him.
What has the response been?
The discharge got here with a observe from the Home Oversight Committee chairman James Comer, criticising Democratic committee members.
Comer mentioned the Democrats have been “cherry-picking paperwork and politicizing info acquired from the Epstein Property”.
Vice-President JD Vance accused the Democrats of “concocting one other pretend scandal” designed to “smear President Trump with lies”.
The committee’s high Democrat mentioned it was “time to finish this White Home cover-up”.
Congressman Robert Garcia wrote on X: “We obtained the Epstein observe Trump says would not exist.”
In the meantime, Democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett – who additionally sits on the committee – known as for “full, unredacted Epstein information” to be launched.
She added: “The survivors deserve justice, and the American folks deserve the reality.”
