Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released a sexually suggestive letter to Jeffrey Epstein that appears to bear President Donald Trump’s name and signature. The item was included in a 2003 birthday album for Epstein, a financier once connected to Mr Trump. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges involving underage girls.

Trump has denied writing the letter or drawing the accompanying illustration. The White House says the president did not sign or draw the image, and his legal team has pursued a $10 billion (€9.2 billion) lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over earlier reporting on Epstein and Trump. A White House aide posted images of Trump’s signature on social media, arguing they did not match the signature on the page.

The release comes as Congress presses for full disclosure of Epstein files. Democrats on the House Oversight Committee said they received a copy of the birthday album as part of Epstein’s estate documents. The Justice Department has begun turning over records from the Epstein probe to the committee, and lawmakers have requested Epstein’s last will and testament, prosecutors’ agreements, contact books and financial records. Maxwell, Epstein’s associate, was convicted in 2021 of luring teenage girls to be abused by him.