WASHINGTON, D.C.July 17, 2025 – The White House has launched a scathing attack on The Wall Street Journal, accusing the publication of disseminating a fabricated “birthday letter” purportedly from President Donald J. Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement posted on X early Friday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt labeled the article a “hatchet job” and compared it to the discredited Steele Dossier that fueled the “Russia, Russia, Russia” narrative.
Leavitt claimed the Journal refused to provide the alleged 2003 letter for verification when challenged, admitting they do not possess the document. “When has President Trump ever spoken like the conversation alleged in the fake WSJ story? That’s not at all how he speaks or writes,” she argued, suggesting the story was a coordinated effort by Democrats and “Fake News” to smear the President. The statement echoed Trump’s own Truth Social post from Thursday, where he threatened to sue the Journal, its parent company NewsCorp, and owner Rupert Murdoch.
The controversy erupted after the Journal published a report claiming Trump sent a letter to Epstein on his 50th birthday, a claim the White House vehemently denies. Leavitt asserted that the publication ignored direct warnings from both herself and Trump, as well as from Murdoch, who allegedly promised to intervene but lacked the authority to do so. Editor Emma Tucker was also singled out for dismissing the warnings.
This incident follows a recent declassification of Epstein-related files by Attorney General Pamela Bondi on February 27, 2025, which detailed Epstein’s exploitation of over 250 underage girls [Office of Public Affairs | United States Department of Justice]. The White House suggested that any credible evidence linking Trump to Epstein would have surfaced years ago through figures like James Comey or Hillary Clinton, framing the story as part of a broader “Epstein Hoax.”
Trump’s legal team has a history of targeting media outlets, including a settled defamation case against ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in December 2024 [Newsweek]. The President has vowed to hold the once-respected Wall Street Journal accountable, calling it a “Disgusting and Filthy Rag” desperate to remain relevant. Public reaction on X has been polarized, with some supporters demanding lawsuits and others questioning the administration’s handling of Epstein-related transparency.
The Journal has yet to respond to the allegations, but the dispute adds to ongoing tensions surrounding Epstein’s associates, with the FBI yet to release additional promised files [Office of Public Affairs | United States Department of Justice]. Murdoch, a key figure in the media landscape through NewsCorp, has faced similar editorial controversies, notably during the 2011 UK phone-hacking scandal [Ballotpedia].