President Donald Trump is blasting the Wall Street Journal over a sensational report that alleged he once sent a bizarre birthday letter to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The letter, published Thursday by the WSJ, reportedly featured typewritten birthday wishes surrounded by the sketch of a naked woman—with Trump’s signature scribbled in a spot that resembled pubic hair. But the president says the entire thing is fake—and he’s not letting it slide.
“This is not me. This is a fake thing,” Trump said. “It’s a fake Wall Street Journal story. I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women. It’s not my language. It’s not my words.”
Trump added that he plans to sue the Journal just as he’s sued other outlets in the past for defamation and false reporting. “I’m gonna sue The Wall Street Journal just like I sued everyone else,” he said.
Vice President JD Vance also came out swinging, denouncing the story in blunt terms. “Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bullshit,” Vance posted on X. “The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it… Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?”
Crucially, the WSJ did not produce the original letter for public scrutiny nor confirm whether it had authenticated the document through any credible means. That omission has fueled even more backlash, with Trump allies accusing the media of resorting to dirty tricks to smear the president ahead of the 2026 midterm cycle.
The White House pointed to a broader trend of hoaxes and coordinated misinformation campaigns, tying this latest attack to previous debunked narratives like the Russia collusion hoax and the Steele dossier. “They were made up by Comey, they were made up by Obama, they were made up by the Biden,” Trump said, referencing years of politically motivated investigations. “We went through years of that… and now it’s this.”
The Epstein controversy has long been a magnet for conspiracy theories and salacious media interest. However, as Breitbart News previously reported, the Trump administration’s DOJ and FBI concluded that there was no Epstein “client list,” and found no evidence that contradicted the official ruling of suicide. That hasn’t stopped the media from linking Trump to Epstein at every opportunity—despite Trump having cut ties with Epstein long before his 2019 arrest.
Trump also defended Attorney General Pam Bondi, saying she had handled the Epstein case briefing with professionalism and clarity. He expressed confidence in her ability to determine what, if anything, from the sealed records should be made public. “Whatever she thinks is credible, she should release,” he stated.
The media firestorm has added fuel to Trump’s ongoing campaign against the legacy press, which he and his supporters routinely call “corrupt,” “biased,” and “dishonest.” The fallout from the WSJ’s story is far from over—and if Trump follows through with his legal threat, the paper could find itself in court answering some uncomfortable questions about sourcing and standards.
In the meantime, Trump is turning the controversy into a rallying cry—pushing for truth, transparency, and consequences for media outlets that cross the line from reporting into fabrication. Whether this episode leads to a full-blown legal showdown remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Trump is not backing down.