President Trump had a priceless reaction Friday night after a crew of journalists were honored at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner for their reporting on the commander-in-chief’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump smiled and laughed as the group of reporters from the Wall Street Journal were given the Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability for their investigative report on a birthday card and drawing purportedly made by the president and given to the notorious sex criminal.
Trump attends the re-scheduled White House Correspondents Dinner in the Presidential Ballroom at the Waldorf Astoria on July 24, 2026. Getty Images
At one point, the president appeared to mouth, “I don’t know,” as he jokingly threw his hands in the air, approaching the moment with good humor.
Trump shook hands with each and every reporter that worked on the story.
During his remarks at the dinner, Trump quipped: “This has not been an easy evening, all those awards.”
“Do I have a say?” he later joked.
The July 2025 report detailed a letter Trump allegedly wrote to Epstein for inclusion in a 50th birthday book compiled by the late financier’s convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
The note, an imaginary conversation between Trump and Epstein written in the third person, is outlined with a drawing of a naked woman.
“A pair of small arcs denotes the woman’s breasts, and the future president’s signature is a squiggly ‘Donald’ below her waist, mimicking pubic hair,” the outlet reported.
Trump speaks with CBS News senior White House correspondent and WHCA President Weijia Jiang. AFP via Getty Images
Attendees watch a video of man who tried to force his way through security at previous White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner. REUTERS
The report sparked calls from Democratic and Republican lawmakers for the Trump administration to release documents related to the Epstein case, which it eventually did, including the purported Trump letter.
The president filed a $10 billion defamation suit against the Journal after the story was published last year.
The lawsuit was dismissed by District Court Judge Darrin Gayles, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, in April.
Gayles did not make any determination as to the authenticity of the letter, but tossed the suit because the president failed to prove the newspaper “acted with actual malice” when it published the story.
Trump, who has maintained the letter is fake, filed an amended lawsuit in May which is still being litigated.
