Did Trump really sign the controversial sketch in Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday book?

A newly surfaced artifact has injected fresh controversy into Washington’s ongoing battles over Jeffrey Epstein’s connections to powerful figures. House Democrats on Monday unveiled a provocative sketch and handwritten note, purportedly signed by President Donald J. Trump, found in a commemorative book created for Epstein’s 50th birthday back in 2003. The drawing — described as sexually suggestive — was turned over by lawyers for Epstein’s estate in response to a congressional subpoena.

Mr. Trump has forcefully rejected any link to the image, calling it fabricated and pointing to his pending defamation suit against The Wall Street Journal, which first reported on the book in July. White House officials echoed his denial, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisting the president “did not draw and did not sign” the page.

Despite those denials, Democrats on the Oversight Committee say the discovery raises new questions about Mr. Trump’s past relationship with Epstein, a convicted sex offender who died in federal custody in 2019. “The Oversight Committee has secured the infamous ‘Birthday Book,’” said Representative Robert Garcia of California, the panel’s top Democrat, pressing the administration to fully release files related to Epstein’s network.

The revelation arrives as the Trump administration faces mounting pressure over its handling of Epstein-linked documents, intensifying scrutiny from both parties and reopening bitter debates about the late financier’s powerful associations.