Washington, D.C, USA: Indian American Democrats in Congress are demanding the release of all records linked to Jeffrey Epstein, saying survivors of his abuse deserve complete transparency. Their call intensified after the disclosure of a controversial birthday note allegedly written by Donald Trump, which Trump has denied authoring.
The note was made public by the House Oversight Committee on September 8, after being retrieved from Epstein’s estate. Its release has reignited scrutiny of Trump’s past ties to the disgraced financier and sparked fresh demands for the Justice Department to unseal Epstein-related files.
Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA), who earlier this year urged that Epstein’s “birthday book” be subpoenaed, called the disclosure “a step toward accountability.” Speaking with CNN, Khanna said there was “no reason to doubt” the authenticity of Trump’s signature, adding that the discovery highlighted why the government must reveal the full set of Epstein documents.
Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) labeled the situation “disturbing, disgusting, and extremely troubling.” He accused Trump of misleading the public for years by denying the note’s existence. “If he lied about this, what else is he hiding? The entire Epstein file should be released immediately,” he asserted. Krishnamoorthi also noted that huge portions of Epstein’s financial history—reportedly over $1 billion in wire transfers—remain shielded from public view.
Representative Suhas Subramanyam, Ranking Member of the Oversight Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs, added that “no one is above the law” and criticized Trump for protecting Epstein while obstructing the release of key evidence.
Representative Pramila Jayapal echoed that sentiment on X, writing: “Trump denied this, but here it is. Thanks to @OversightDems for exposing his lie. If he lied about this, what else is he lying about?”
Representative Shri Thanedar, who has signed a petition demanding that all Epstein records be made public, said Trump’s repeated denials no longer hold water. “He called this ‘fake news,’ but it’s not. He said he wasn’t in the files, but he is. He’s clearly hiding something, and the truth needs to come out,” he said.
At the heart of the controversy is a page from Epstein’s 2003 birthday album, assembled by Ghislaine Maxwell. The album features a crude sketch of a nude woman with dialogue attributed to both Epstein and Trump. The page ends with a handwritten note supposedly from Trump: “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” followed by what appears to be Trump’s signature.
The Wall Street Journal first revealed the letter’s existence in July, prompting Trump to sue the paper’s parent company, News Corp., for defamation. Following the Oversight Committee’s release, the White House dismissed the note as a fake. Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich posted on X that it was not Trump’s handwriting, calling it “DEFAMATION!” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also denounced the disclosure, labeling it a “manufactured scandal by Democrats.”
The note dates back three years before Epstein’s abuse allegations became public. Epstein later died by suicide in 2019 while in jail awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Last week, Republicans on the Oversight Committee released more than 33,000 pages of related records in an attempt to push back against bipartisan calls for further disclosure. Still, survivors and several lawmakers insist that many vital files remain hidden.
