Tuesday, September 09, 2025

The Epstein Letter Is Real, and It’s Bad

Trump's initial strategy of denying that the document exists leaves him with few options now that it has been made public.

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When The Wall Street Journal reported two months ago that Donald Trump had written a suggestive letter to Jeffrey Epstein in celebration of the notorious child abuser's 50th birthday, in 2003, the administration had a choice of available responses. The strategy it went with was indignant denial.

Now that Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have obtained and shared the letter, which is very much existent, that approach appears to have been shortsighted.

The most puzzling aspect of the total-denial approach is that it robbed Trump's supporters of any fallback defense. The Epstein letter is eyebrow-raising""We have certain things in common," Trump writes, closing with the wish, "May every day be another wonderful secret""but it is not an explicit confession. Trump could have admitted to being its author while arguing that the commonalities and secrets alluded to mundane, or at least legal, activities. Instead, he described the letter as "false, malicious, and defamatory""conceding that, if it were real, it would be pretty bad.

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"Guess what?" writes Chait. "It's real. And it's bad."

When the Journal story first broke, Vance demanded, "Will the people who have bought into every hoax against President Trump show an ounce of skepticism before buying into this bizarre story?"

The episode certainly does tell us something about Trump and the need for appropriate levels of skepticism. Don't count on the president's cultists to draw the right conclusion.

#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2025-09-09 05:55 AM

Morning Doc:

Next week sex predator Dummkopf Trumpf is off to the UK: "Buckingham Palace announced that Dummkopf Trumpf and Melanoma Trumpf had accepted an invitation to pay a state visit to the UK between Wednesday 17 Sep and Friday 19 Sep.

King Charles will host Trumpf at Windsor Castle because Buckingham Palace is still undergoing significant renovations.

The trip comes two months after the Dotard-in-Chief spent four days in Scotland, where he met politicians and visited his golf courses."

One wonders what they'll all be discussing (or won't).

ichef.bbci.co.uk

ichef.bbci.co.uk

Last year King Charles replaced the previous Lord Chamberlain, Andrew Parker. Too bad. Baron Parker was once Director-General of MI5 and most likely privy to the Epstein-Maxwell sex trafficking ring involving Trumpf and Prince Andrew.

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2025-09-09 06:26 AM

Did anyone seriously think that this letter was not real?

Donald and JD stating that it didn't exist only proved that it did.

MAGA's favorite president diddled children with his best pal Jefferey.

And so did a lot of other high-ranking MAGA who, as Maxwell said, are currently in government and very likely---

Still diddling children.

#3 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 07:46 AM

I am sure more than few of the dullards here think it's a fake.

Worse yet, more of them are okay with him raping children.

#4 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-09-09 07:50 AM

How soon before MAGA women are lining up to have his signature tattooed on their crotches?

#5 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2025-09-09 08:15 AM

I foolishly thought the drawing and the exchange would be a bit more tasteful. Turns out it was worse than I had imagined.

That's also his signature.

Pretty funny. Last night I watched Lawrence O'Donnell on MSNBC. He had a check from Trump that Trump donated to a charity that O'Donnell pushes (K.I.N.D. I think it was). Of course the check wasn't from Trump but from his "charity" that was shut down for operating illegally and not being a charity. I digress.

O'Donnell refused Trump's "donation" and Trump wrote a nice note back signing the note as "Donald____" just like the signature in the infamous drawing. It's a match.

Oops.

#6 | Posted by YAV at 2025-09-09 08:26 AM

"Jeffrey showing early talents with money + women! Sells fully depreciated' [name redacted] to Donald Trump for $22,500,"

#7 | Posted by YAV at 2025-09-09 08:34 AM

"I foolishly thought the drawing and the exchange would be a bit more tasteful. Turns out it was worse than I had imagined."

As I suspected, there are still a lot of people out there that have never really truly convinced himself that Donald Trump is a real degenerate.

They've repeatedly said he's a pedophile and a rapist but in their heart, they've never really believed it

#8 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 08:45 AM

How soon before MAGA women are lining up to have his signature tattooed on their crotches?

Posted by lee_the_agent at 2025-09-09 08:15 AM | Reply

Or a t ramp stamp. It's long enough to be one.

#9 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-09-09 09:04 AM

They've repeatedly said he's a pedophile and a rapist but in their heart, they've never really believed it

Personally I am not convinced that Trump's illegally had sex with minors, but I have been completely convinced he's covering for some really important people. With these documents released, though, I'm starting to think he could very well be, in fact, a child predator.

#10 | Posted by YAV at 2025-09-09 09:25 AM

I have been completely convinced he's (trump) covering for some really important people.

#10 | POSTED BY YAV AT 2025-09-09 09:25 AM | REPLY

Absolutely.

Including family.

And if Donald did not actually rape a kid, he knew that they were being raped and whom by. He heard the stories and helped laugh.

#11 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 09:43 AM

I'm starting to think he (Trump) could very well be, in fact, a child predator.

#10 | POSTED BY YAV

The true and complete meaning of "sociopath" is hard for sane people to grasp. That might be changing now.

Let's be clear: Donald's mental illness means that he sincerely believes that laws and morality do not apply to him. He feels unconstrained and guiltless.

These people are bad enough when they are of ordinary means. But give them unlimited money and unlimited power they become Caligula.

Which is what Trump is.

#12 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 09:47 AM

At this point, usually, some MAGA appears to say what a disaster Kamala would have been,

#13 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 09:48 AM

The Republicans making excuses and denying that this is trump's signature is massive CRINGE! Oh my god it's painful watching them deny the obvious!

#14 | Posted by YAV at 2025-09-09 10:48 AM

but I have been completely convinced he's covering for some really important people.

The transcript with Maxwell reveals that she literally said many of the pedophiles are on Trumpy's staff. Trumpy's lawyer, Todd Blanche, paused took a deep breath and carefully avoided pursuing that lead and did not ask one question about that statement.

#15 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 11:25 AM

(This goes here too)

Suddenly all the republicans have become signature experts.

And they all agree it's NOT his signature.

Even though it's obviously his signature and his style of writing.

Interestingly this "birthday card" even if Trumpy wrote it proves nothing in and of itself.

But they just cannot admit it's Trumpy because Trumpy says it's not Trumpy. Even though it's obviously Trumpy.

If you tell a big enough lie and repeat it often enough, people will eventually come to believe it, especially if the state can suppress the truth and the consequences of the lie.

Truth has become the enemy. Because the truth reveals the Big Lie.

#16 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 11:26 AM

Trump is threatening to sue. There's a 0% chance of that happening for the same reason Melania will not sue Hunter Biden. They won't expose themselves to the discovery process.

#17 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2025-09-09 11:44 AM

As I suspected, there are still a lot of people out there that have never really truly convinced himself that Donald Trump is a real degenerate.
#8 | Posted by eberly

"People"

By People, you can only mean Republicans.

Most Republicans don't think being a pedophile and a rapist is all that bad, in the grand scheme of things.

These are the same Republicans who refuse to ban underage marriage

These are the same Republicans who call rape babies a miracle, require a girl to carry the rapists child to term, and give the rapist parental rights.

#18 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 12:05 PM

The hoax is accusing Trump of being part of the abuse without any evidence.
#6 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2025-09-07 01:55 PM
drudge.com

#19 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 12:21 PM

"Personally I am not convinced that Trump's illegally had sex with minors,"

and that's clearly the overwhelming opinion of those who scream pedo and rapist daily.

Not sure if being convinced with evidence is really all that important to anybody.

It's virtually irrelevant if no actual evidence is found.

It's believed. There can never be proof he didn't rape kids. There can only be a lack of evidence he did.

But people need to believe what they need to believe.

At this point, I hope we find evidence Trump raped kids even if it's false or planted.

#20 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 12:36 PM

At this point, I hope we find evidence Trump raped kids even if it's false or planted.

#20 | POSTED BY EBERLY

Trump was a demonstrably evil man before this Epstein business.

But real people demand real evidence.

So just release the EPSTEIN FILES so that we can judge,

#21 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 12:42 PM

"But real people demand real evidence."

who are the "real people"?

and....evidence of what, exactly?

That Trump is evil?

or that he's a bonafide criminal.....and I mean someone who has actually committed a crime to be prosecuted for.

Is there really anybody left who hasn't made up their mind who gives a shit?

#22 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 12:45 PM

-So just release the EPSTEIN FILES so that we can judge,

did you go to law school and suddenly become a prosecutor or a judge?

do you or do you not care about there actually being a criminal investigation to take place?

#23 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 12:47 PM

Real people are honest people, EBERLY.

Honest people want to know the honest truth.

It's always been that way.

#24 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 12:48 PM

Donald Trump is an evil man by any standard that I know that's not Satanic in the horror movies sense.

#25 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 12:49 PM

"did you go to law school and suddenly become a prosecutor or a judge?"

Do I have to by any of things to make a political judgment or one that goes to character?

Of course we real people want Trump tried.

Just like we wanted Hitler tried.

#26 | Posted by Zed at 2025-09-09 12:51 PM

do you or do you not care about there actually being a criminal investigation to take place?

#23 | POSTED BY EBERLY

Isn't the release of the files regarding the criminal investigations into Epstein and Maxwell what everyone is waiting for?

#27 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 12:52 PM

We vote and elect representatives and, ostensibly, the President. We need to know - and it doesn't matter if it's been adjudicated.

#28 | Posted by YAV at 2025-09-09 12:52 PM

and....evidence of what, exactly?
#22 | Posted by eberly

You run your mouth so much, to say so little.
Let's start with the evidence in the Epstein Files.

But you Republicans can't agree to that.
Because you Republicans know full well that Trump is named in the Epstein Files.
And you know he's not named in a way that would exonerate him, or you would have already released the Epstein Files.

You pedophiles are the problem here, asshole.

#29 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 12:58 PM

he's a bonafide criminal.....and I mean someone who has actually committed a crime to be prosecuted for.

In case you have been living in an insurance salesman cave he already is a "bonafide criminal ".

He has been convicted of 34 felonies. And charged with committing 88 more.

Good luck prosecuting him tho. The Supremes are not going to allow and risk losing all their bribes.

#30 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:01 PM

"Honest people want to know the honest truth.
It's always been that way."

honest people also watch football.

They don't want the truth....they want to win.

at the end of the game when the officials uphold a play that represents the winning touchdown (ie...the previous play is under review....).....the winning team doesn't give the ball back and ask the refs to reverse the call based on "truth".

they take the win.

this feels more like that.

-We vote and elect representatives and, ostensibly, the President. We need to know - and it doesn't matter if it's been adjudicated.

excellent point. And the files contain names that only appear on a ballot? Of course not.....lots and lots of names I suspect are included in this.

And they aren't elected officials.

I'm no expert on this but aren't criminal investigations supposed to stay out of the public eye until they are complete?

#31 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:04 PM

-Isn't the release of the files regarding the criminal investigations into Epstein and Maxwell what everyone is waiting for?

right. are those investigations over?

#32 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:05 PM

#10 - With all pedo stuff he's done over the years, fondling all over Ivanka, walking into dressing rooms at the Miss Teen USA, to as he admitted on Stern, ogle the teenaged contestants, telling little girls he would be dating them in a few years, telling Stern that 12 years old was his cutoff, and finally Google Katie Johnson, the Epstine girl who was suing him for raping her. She abandoned the case due to overwhelming threats on her and her families lives from the MAGAts. Read her testimony, in particular what Dotard said to her about taking her virginity and tell me that those words didn't come out of his mouth. If it took thousands of hours of FBI agents time to find every mention of Mango Mussolini's name in the files then he wasn't just a customer, he was a partner. He recruited the girls through this pagents and "modeling agency" that sounded more like an out-call prostitution operation, and Epstine sold them.

#33 | Posted by _Gunslinger_ at 2025-09-09 01:06 PM

Trump is so unbelievably stupid he ran on releasing files he now says are a hoax.

Trumpers should be embarrassed.

#34 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2025-09-09 01:06 PM

-he already is a "bonafide criminal ".

agreed.....but that makes him guilty of any crime you wish to assign to him?

It's funny...the media can convince anyone apparently to suspend the rule of law and believe we can prosecute trump for rape on CNN.

#35 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:07 PM

Release all everything they have on Epstein... it will be the real draining of the swamp.

#36 | Posted by kwrx25 at 2025-09-09 01:08 PM

And the files contain names that only appear on a ballot? Of course not.....lots and lots of names I suspect are included in this.

According to Todd Blanche/Maxwell interview many of the pedophiles are in the Trumpy administration. Which would explain a lot.

Interestingly Todd Blanche did not pursue any of that with any further questioning on that subject. He paused took a breath and immediately changed the subject.

#37 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:12 PM

To satisfy my curiosity....yes, I'd love for all the files to be released.

But I'm pretty sure congress, the FBI, the DOJ....couldn't give 2 shits about satisfying my curiosity.

#38 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:13 PM

"Good luck prosecuting him tho. The Supremes are not going to allow and risk losing all their bribes."

Yeah, it's just a big football game that you're already convinced you're going to lose.

You got the better team. The other team cheats.......but the goddam refs.

#39 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:17 PM

-Trumpers should be embarrassed.

they don't care.

#40 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:18 PM

"To satisfy my curiosity."

Same reason Trump walked into the girl's locker room.
You really are in the right party.

#41 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 01:22 PM

"Yeah, it's just a big football game that you're already convinced you're going to lose."

In case you didn't notice living in your cave .. We already lost the Big Game pal.

The question is now can we recover and come back and clean up the mess that republicans will leave us in.

Like we always have before.

#42 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:23 PM

-Trumpers should be embarrassed.
they don't care.
#40 | Posted by eberly

Indeed.
Republicans only care when Immigrants and Blacks rape their white women.
When The President does it, well, he's paying them a compliment!
And if she's lucky she'll get pregnant and have a miracle baby.

#43 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 01:23 PM

The other team cheats.......but the goddam refs.

#39 | POSTED BY EBERLY

Rigger Please!

The other team definitely cheats. And there are no refs.

We now have to decide if we will cheat too or let the cheaters win because we can't bring ourselves to fight fire with fire.

#44 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:26 PM


Republicans only care when Immigrants and Blacks rape their white women.
~ Snoofy

You don't?


When The President does it, well, he's paying them a compliment!
~ Snoofy

Yeah Trump and the NorthCarolina killer are exactly the same.

#45 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-09-09 01:27 PM

The other team definitely cheats. And there are no refs.

How so? Just curious to see how many hoaxes you believe?

#46 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-09-09 01:28 PM

"clean up the mess that republicans will leave us in."

I don't disagree with regards to the economy, geopolitical issues, etc.....what does that have to do with this Epstein thing?

#47 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 01:30 PM

Yeah Trump and the NorthCarolina killer are exactly the same.

POSTED BY IAMRUNT

The North Carolina killer's body count is smaller than the decomposing orange child rapist's by 1.2 million.

#48 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2025-09-09 01:31 PM

Just curious to see how many hoaxes you believe?

#46 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Just curious.. do you still beat your wife?

#49 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:32 PM

what does that have to do with this Epstein thing?

#47 | POSTED BY EBERLY

You brought it up. You tell me.

#50 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:33 PM

I don't disagree with regards to the economy, geopolitical issues, etc.....what does that have to do with this Epstein thing?
#47 | Posted by eberly

Obviously it has a lot to do with it or Republicans would release the Epstein Files.

#51 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 01:33 PM

DOJ says names of two associates Epstein wired $100K and $250K should stay secret
www.nbcnews.com

^
Obviously it has a lot to do with it or Republicans would release the Epstein Files.

Now go away, Eberly.

#52 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 01:35 PM

Yeah Trump and the NorthCarolina killer are exactly the same.

POSTED BY IAMRUNT

Naww. Nice try tho. I saw the tape.

This lunatic was not like Trumpy at all. He didn't rape her before he killed her.

#53 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-09-09 01:59 PM

Has stinky dropped his $10,000,000,000 lawsuit yet?

The Supremes are not going to allow and risk losing all their bribes.

I firmly believe that Uncle Lumpy's and Alitos Luxury vacation bribes, Keggenaugh's gambling debt payoff and Roberts wifes conflict of interest bribes were just the tips of the iceberg on all of them and stinky has the files.

#54 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-09-09 02:01 PM

and that's clearly the overwhelming opinion of those who scream pedo and rapist daily.
Not sure if being convinced with evidence is really all that important to anybody.
#20 | Posted by eberly

He was literally found to by a court to be liable for the rape of E Jean Carroll.
Apparently that piece of evidence is not important to his defenders.

#55 | Posted by johnny_hotsauce at 2025-09-09 02:25 PM

-He was literally found to by a court to be liable for the rape of E Jean Carroll.

civil court, yes.

But that's not going to satisfy anybody here. That's not a win.

Not over this Epstein business. this has to result in a criminal consequence.

#56 | Posted by eberly at 2025-09-09 02:29 PM

Eberly, why stick around for this?

It needs to result in our rapist President resigning in disgrace.

But Republicans will do everything in their power to protect Trump.

Because Trump is the most successful Republican brand in a century. He's more popular than Reagan ever was with Republicans, and twice as popular today!

www.foramerica.org
Donald Trump is "more beloved" by Republican voters than Presidents George W. Bush, his father, George H.W. Bush, and even Ronald Reagan.
...
Trump has a 63 percent approval rating with Republican voters at five months into his presidency.
This is not only higher than any other modern Republican president, but when Reagan was only five months in as president, he received 60 percent approval.

#57 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-09-09 02:44 PM

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