The political internet exploded this week after a newly-surfaced photo from Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous “birthday book” included what appeared to be a personal letter from Donald Trump, igniting a firestorm across social media and sending the MAGA base into full-blown damage control.

Within hours, hashtags like #TrumpLetter, #EpsteinFiles, and #MAGAdenial were trending globally, while liberal figures, celebrities, and even politicians—most notably California Governor Gavin Newsom—jumped on the moment to take pointed jabs at the former president.

The image in question, leaked online by a journalist combing through Epstein’s archived documents at an unnamed East Coast library, showed an open page of what appears to be a guest ledger or “birthday book,” containing handwritten messages to Epstein from various well-known figures. Sandwiched between notes from socialites and Wall Street names was a neatly penned letter signed “Donald J. Trump.”

Though the handwriting has not yet been independently verified, its tone and phrasing raised eyebrows: “Jeff, another year older but never slowing down. You’re the best at what you do—can’t wait for the next party. Yours, Don.”

The phrase “can’t wait for the next party” instantly became meme fodder. Screenshots flooded Twitter and Instagram. Critics speculated about the meaning behind the message, given Epstein’s now-notorious social gatherings, many of which allegedly involved underage girls and high-profile guests.

MAGA loyalists scrambled to discredit the photo, calling it a fake, a deepfake, or AI-generated. Some even accused the media of planting false documents to derail Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Donald Trump’s camp responded swiftly. A spokesperson from the Trump team issued a statement labeling the letter a “complete fabrication,” insisting that President Trump “barely knew Epstein” and that any attempt to connect him to the disgraced financier was “part of a tired and baseless smear campaign by the radical left.”

The letter, the campaign added, “looks suspiciously staged” and lacks any credible authentication.

Despite the denial, the online reaction was immediate and fierce. Gavin Newsom, who has recently been sparring with Trump in public comments and is widely speculated to be eyeing a future presidential run, added gasoline to the fire by posting a now-viral tweet: “Must’ve been quite a party, Donny.

Who brought the cake?” The post, accompanied by a photo of the letter and a facepalm emoji, was liked over 1.5 million times and shared by celebrities, lawmakers, and countless political commentators.

Later that day, Newsom followed up with an Instagram Story featuring the same image with the caption: “Some parties age better than others.” The posts drew applause from progressive voices online and prompted heated responses from conservative pundits accusing the governor of “weaponizing disinformation” and “playing politics with tragedy.”

Right-wing media, led by outlets like Breitbart and The Gateway Pundit, launched a counteroffensive. They claimed the letter was part of a “deep state operation” to reignite Epstein conspiracies during a critical election cycle.

On Fox News, Tucker Carlson devoted a full segment to the topic, claiming the document was “designed to manipulate public perception” and calling Newsom’s reaction “disgusting and opportunistic.”

Yet, as the letter circulated and analysts began comparing it to known samples of Trump’s handwriting, some experts noted striking similarities. “It’s definitely in his style,” said one forensic handwriting analyst interviewed anonymously by The Daily Beast.

“But without the physical document, you can’t confirm authorship with 100% certainty.” Still, that didn’t stop late-night hosts from diving in. Stephen Colbert opened his monologue with, “Turns out Trump wrote Epstein a birthday card—guess that makes ‘You’re fired’ the second-worst thing he’s ever written.”

The issue also reignited old questions about Trump’s ties to Epstein. Though Trump has publicly distanced himself from Epstein in recent years, video footage, photographs, and media coverage have long documented their social interactions throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

A now-infamous 2002 quote from Trump about Epstein continues to haunt him: “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”

To Trump’s critics, the letter is yet another piece of evidence pointing to a long-standing familiarity—if not friendship—with Epstein. “You don’t write birthday notes to people you ‘barely knew,’” tweeted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “And you definitely don’t get sentimental if all you did was ‘say hello a few times.’”

Meanwhile, MAGA supporters on social media attempted to shift focus. Prominent pro-Trump influencers began circulating unverified claims about other celebrities appearing in the book, aiming to paint it as a bipartisan scandal. “Funny how the media only cares when Trump’s name shows up,” tweeted far-right commentator Jack Posobiec. “But ignore all the Hollywood elites.”

Still, the optics of the situation are hard to ignore. With Trump facing multiple legal challenges—including charges related to January 6, classified documents, and election interference—this latest controversy piles on yet another PR nightmare.

While not criminal in itself, the letter’s tone, timing, and implications threaten to further alienate undecided voters and moderate Republicans wary of the former president’s baggage.

In an attempt to pivot the narrative, Trump made an unannounced campaign stop in Pennsylvania two days after the leak, delivering a speech heavy on border security and inflation.

Though he made no mention of Epstein or the letter, he did allude to “fake stories being pushed by sick people,” and insisted, “They’ll do anything to stop our movement.” The crowd, mostly loyal supporters, cheered. But online, the distraction didn’t take.

Political strategists say the incident may not sway Trump’s core base, but it could harm his standing with swing voters. “This kind of story doesn’t need to be proven to do damage,” said GOP consultant Liz Mair. “The mere association is enough to make voters uncomfortable—and Trump has plenty of associations like that.”

As for Newsom, his social media presence has only grown in the wake of the letter’s release. Whether his posts were political opportunism or righteous outrage depends on whom you ask.

But what’s certain is that he seized the moment to draw a stark contrast between himself and Trump—one that seems to be gaining traction among younger, progressive voters.

In the end, whether the “Trump letter” is authenticated or not may be irrelevant to the political storm it’s already created. In an age where perception often outweighs proof, the image of Trump signing a friendly note to Epstein on his birthday has already seared itself into the cultural conversation. And for now, it appears the fallout is far from over.