Another day, another media misfire targeting President Trump.
According to Breitbart, the Wall Street Journal stirred controversy with a report alleging President Donald Trump sent a birthday card to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, a claim the White House swiftly and forcefully denied. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt took to X to dismantle the story, pointing to the Journal’s own reporting as evidence of its falsehood.
In July, the Wall Street Journal first mentioned the alleged card, claiming it bore Trump’s signature and a drawing. The outlet didn’t publish the card then, leaving readers to wonder about its authenticity. Trump immediately called it fake, insisting he never sent such a card.
“This is not me,” Trump declared in July, dismissing the card as a fabrication. He emphasized that the drawing and language weren’t his, urging skeptics to see through what he called a baseless smear. The denial set the stage for a broader pushback against the narrative.
The Journal’s report resurfaced on Monday, claiming the House Oversight Committee received copies of the supposed card. This timing raised eyebrows, as it seemed to reignite a story Trump had already debunked. The White House wasn’t having it.
Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words, stating the Journal’s own article undermines its credibility. She accused the outlet of pushing a false narrative, calling it the “Democrat Epstein Hoax.” The press secretary’s sharp rebuke framed the story as a deliberate hit job.
Leavitt insisted Trump neither drew nor signed the alleged card. Her statement cut through the Journal’s claims like a hot knife through butter. The White House sees this as another attempt to tarnish Trump’s reputation with flimsy evidence.
The press secretary also called out reporter Joe Palazzolo for shady journalism. She noted he sent a request for comment at the exact moment the story dropped, leaving no time for a response. This move reeks of agenda-driven reporting, not truth-seeking.
Palazzolo, alongside co-author Khadeeja Safdar, penned the Journal’s piece, which leaned heavily on the card’s alleged existence. Yet, their own reporting, according to Leavitt, exposes the story’s weaknesses. It’s a classic case of the media tripping over its own narrative.
Trump’s legal team is gearing up for battle, with Leavitt vowing “aggressive” litigation over the claims. The White House isn’t just playing defense; it’s ready to take the fight to those pushing what it sees as lies. This signals a broader strategy to counter media overreach.
The Journal’s failure to publish the card in July only fuels skepticism about its legitimacy. If the evidence was so damning, why hold it back? The omission suggests a story more about headlines than hard facts. Leavitt’s X post framed the report as part of a larger pattern of biased coverage. She argued it’s another attempt to tie Trump to Epstein, despite no credible evidence. The “Democrat Epstein Hoax” label ties the story to a politically charged agenda.
The White House’s response highlights a growing distrust in legacy media outlets like the Journal. When reporters play fast and loose with the truth, they erode their own credibility. Leavitt’s pointed critique resonates with those fed up with narrative-driven journalism.
Trump’s July denial was unequivocal: “I never wrote a picture in my life.” He rejected the card’s language and imagery as foreign to his style. The consistency of his rebuttal adds weight to the White House’s current stance.
The saga underscores a broader battle between Trump’s team and a media ecosystem eager to paint him in a bad light. While the Journal’s report aimed to stir controversy, the White House’s swift response flipped the script. It’s a reminder that in today’s media landscape, truth often takes a backseat to sensationalism.