By Natalie Andrews, Annie Linskey and Sadie Gurman
WASHINGTON -- President Trump called for the release of grand jury material related to the investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following the publication of an article in The Wall Street Journal about a letter bearing Trump's name that was included in a 2003 birthday album for the disgraced financier.
Trump, in a Thursday night social-media post, said he had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to "produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval!" Bondi wrote on X that she was ready to ask a court Friday to unseal the grand jury transcripts.
Releasing Epstein-related documents became a rallying cry for many of Trump's top allies during the Biden administration and the 2024 presidential campaign. Trump, who had socialized with Epstein in the past, said during the campaign that he would release additional details about the investigation.
Last week, the Justice Department incensed many in Trump's political base when it said in a memo that a thorough review had turned up no list of Epstein's clients nor any additional documents that warrant public disclosure. Far-right media figures have long alleged a government coverup in the case of Epstein, who killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal charges of sex trafficking.
Some of Trump's most prominent supporters have called for Bondi's resignation in the midst of the fallout, but Trump has stood by her.
Grand jury testimony is subject to secrecy protections and faces potentially high hurdles for public release. It constitutes only a portion of the Epstein-related material in the government's possession. Hundreds of FBI employees have worked long shifts this year examining such material for possible release.
In a previous declaration filed in court, prosecutor Maurene Comey outlined a tranche of government records, including witness statements and background materials, law-enforcement interviews, business records, grand jury subpoenas and internal FBI analyses. Comey asked a judge not to release those records, arguing their disclosure could impact any potential retrial of Epstein confidante Ghislaine Maxwell.
The judge in 2024 denied a Freedom of Information Act request to make the records public.
On Wednesday, the Justice Department fired Comey, daughter of former Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, who was involved in prosecutions of Epstein and Maxwell.
Earlier this week, Trump criticized his own supporters for opposing his administration's decision not to release more material from the investigation, accusing them of buying into a Democratic narrative.
In a separate social-media post on Thursday night, Trump threatened to sue The Wall Street Journal for publishing the article, calling it "false, malicious, and defamatory." The president also said he planned to sue News Corp, the parent company of Dow Jones, which publishes the Journal, as well as Rupert Murdoch, the chair emeritus of News Corp. A News Corp spokesman didn't respond to a request for comment.
The Journal reported on Thursday that Epstein's then-aide Maxwell collected letters from Trump and dozens of Epstein's other associates for a 2003 birthday album. The letter bearing Trump's name contained several lines of typewritten text framed by the outline of a naked woman, which appears to be hand-drawn with a heavy marker. It ends with "Happy Birthday -- and may every day be another wonderful secret."
"The Press has to learn to be truthful, and not rely on sources that probably don't even exist," Trump wrote, citing his recent efforts to settle lawsuits with other news organizations.
The president said he told Murdoch and Emma Tucker, the Journal's editor in chief, before publication that the letter referenced in the Journal article was "a FAKE." Tucker declined to comment through a spokeswoman.
Vice President JD Vance also criticized the article on X. "Forgive my language but this story is complete and utter bull -- . The WSJ should be ashamed for publishing it," he wrote. "Where is this letter? Would you be shocked to learn they never showed it to us before publishing it? Does anyone honestly believe this sounds like Donald Trump?"
Elon Musk, the billionaire former Trump adviser who has publicly feuded with the president, also used his platform to cast doubt on the story, suggesting the language in the birthday letter didn't sound like Trump's voice. Musk had previously suggested that Trump hasn't released Epstein's files because the president's name appears in them. He later deleted that message.
House Republicans late Thursday advanced a plan to hold a vote at some point in the future on a nonbinding resolution calling for the release of Epstein-related files. Rep. Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) is leading a separate effort, which has Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, to force a vote on a binding measure demanding the release of Epstein materials.
Democrats have criticized Trump for his handling of the Epstein documents. "I think we now know EXACTLY why Donald Trump refuses to release the Epstein files," said Rep. Pat Ryan (D., N.Y.), in response to the story.
Write to Natalie Andrews at natalie.andrews@wsj.com, Annie Linskey at annie.linskey@wsj.com and Sadie Gurman at sadie.gurman@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
July 18, 2025 09:16 ET (13:16 GMT)
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