Eric Trump defends father over Epstein birthday drawing: 'My father does not sketch'
(To watch what Eric Trump has to say about the Epstein book, jump to timestamp 4:01)
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Eric Trump defended his father on Newsmax this week over a bizarre alleged birthday card sent to Jeffrey Epstein, dismissing claims that Donald Trump drew a crude cartoon sketch for the late financier.
The comments came after House Democrats released documents from Epstein’s estate, including the controversial 2003 note.
Eric Trump denies Trump drew Epstein birthday card
Eric Trump insisted with a straight face that “my father does not sketch out cartoon drawings,” even though several Trump doodles have sold for thousands at auction. The denial drew ridicule online and renewed attention to the now-public “birthday card” allegedly penned for Epstein’s 50th birthday.
Eric Trump told host Carl Higbie, “I can tell you my father does not sketch out cartoon drawings.”
Lawsuit and creative defenses emerge
Trump has denied writing or drawing the card and launched a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal, its reporters, and Rupert Murdoch. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt doubled down, “It’s very clear President Trump did not draw this picture, and he did not sign it.”
Leavitt further claimed, “The latest piece published by the Wall Street Journal PROVES this entire ‘Birthday Card’ story is false.” Some Trump allies floated alternative theories, including an autopen forgery. “It’s so easy to do,” Rep Tim Burchett (R-TN) told CNN. “I just don’t buy any of it right now because we have a prior administration that has a history of dishonesty.”
Eric Trump also invoked Trump’s past clashes with Epstein: “It’s ironic given that my father was the very guy that threw him out of the club because he thought he was a scumbag.”
Democrats say files prove Donald Trump lied
House Democrats released the full letter online, with Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) stating, “President Trump called the Epstein investigation a hoax and claimed that his birthday note didn’t exist. Now we know that Donald Trump was lying and is doing everything he can to cover up the truth. Enough of the games and lies, release the full files now.”
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee pushed back. Chair James Comer (R-KY) accused Democrats of “cherry-picking documents” and emphasized that Trump “is not accused of any wrongdoing.”
Eric Trump closed his interview by lashing out at coverage of the controversy. “There’s a level of dementia in the mainstream media,” he said, after calling the card a fake. Host Carl Higbie chimed in with his own show of support: “Even if you don’t read too much, and I don’t read too good, I bought [your book] because I want you to be number one just to give a middle finger to whoever is trying to keep you down.”
