The White House says it will support a forensic analysis of the signature on a letter allegedly given by Donald Trump to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mr Trump has denied giving the former financier a letter that appears in a birthday book for Epstein with the crude sketch of a woman’s body and a note about secrets.
Democrats on the US House Oversight Committee released the letter on social media to the public after it was delivered by Epstein’s estate.
The White House, and Mr Trump, have both denied its authenticity.
“It’s not my signature and it’s not the way I speak,” Trump told reporters before dining out in the US capital on Tuesday.
Democrats release Trump’s alleged birthday note to Epstein
Karoline Leavitt, the president’s spokesperson, told reporters on Tuesday that the White House would back an analysis of the signature to prove Trump right.
“Sure, we would support that,” she said.
“The president did not write this letter. He did not sign this letter.”
Ms Leavitt also said Mr Trump did not sign a cheque to Epstein and that the president’s legal team was “aggressively pursuing litigation”.
The note, compiled by imprisoned Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, is inserted into the sketched outline of a nude woman and consists of a short dialogue between “Donald” and “Jeffrey”.
“We have certain things in common,” says Donald, to which Jeffrey responds: “Yes, we do, come to think of it.”
“Enigmas never age, have you noticed that?” Donald asks.
“As a matter of fact, it was clear to me the last time I saw you,” Jeffrey says.
“A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the note ends, followed by Mr Trump’s signature, which takes the place of pubic hair on the nude outline.
House Oversight Committee chair James Comer, who is leading the congressional Epstein investigation and subpoenaed the Epstein estate for documents including the so-called birthday book, told reporters on Tuesday that he believed Mr Trump.
“The president says he did not sign it, so I take the president at his word,” the Kentucky Republican said.
Mr Trump, 79, sued The Wall Street Journal in July for $US10 billion ($15 billion) after it originally reported the existence of the letter, insisting that he had never sent it.
The release of the documents has brought renewed attention to an issue that has become a political thorn in the president’s side.
Though he has urged his supporters to move on from the topic, the appetite for details about Epstein’s crimes and who else may have known about them or been involved with him has remained high.
Ms Leavitt has accused Democrats of trying to hurt the president by focusing on the Epstein case.
“Republicans in the Trump Department of Justice have done more in terms of transparency when it comes to the Epstein case than any prior administration,” she said.
“And why are the Democrats all of a sudden caring about this? It’s because they are desperately trying to concoct a hoax to smear the president of the United States.”
A photo entered into evidence shows Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell relaxing at a log cabin on Queen Elizabeth’s Balmoral Estate in Scotland. (Supplied:Â US Attorney’s Office SDNY)
Epstein, a wealthy financier with high-level connections around the world, was found dead in his New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial for alleged sex trafficking of underage girls recruited to provide him with sexual massages.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence for recruiting underage girls for the financier and has previously said in an interview that Mr Trump was “never inappropriate with anybody”.
Who else was named in the birthday book?
Mr Trump is not the only person to appear in the collection of birthday messages.
An entry that appears to have been written by former president Bill Clinton is among some 50 greetings.
Donald Trump’s history of drawings
The author wrote about Epstein’s “childlike curiosity” and a “drive to make a difference”.
“It’s reassuring isn’t it, to have lasted so long, across all the years of learning and knowing, adventures and [illegible], and still to have your childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference and the solace of friends,” Mr Clinton wrote.
Mr Clinton’s office did not respond to a request for comment from AP.
His office has previously said he knew nothing about Epstein’s crimes and travelled with him for humanitarian trips.
Alan Dershowitz, a law professor who has represented both Mr Trump and Epstein, was cited in a letter.
He jokingly said he had convinced Vanity Fair magazine to write about Epstein’s success. Dershowitz has previously said he did not recall writing an entry for Epstein’s book.
Another note attributed to Leslie Wexner, a billionaire former CEO of a company whose brands included Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works, wrote: “I wanted to get you what you want … so here it is.”
It was followed by a drawing of breasts.
Reuters/AP/AFP