Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) is urging the House to cancel its subscriptions to The Wall Street Journal after the newspaper released a revealing report on Thursday. This report highlighted previously unknown aspects of President Trump’s connections with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
Following the report’s publication, Fine stated on social platform X that he’ll be proposing legislation to terminate the House of Representatives’ subscription deal with the WSJ. “Americans shouldn’t have to subsidize unpleasant and offensive publications,” he expressed.
“I have also directed my entire staff to delete their taxpayer-funded WSJ accounts,” he added.
The Journal disclosed this week that back in 2003, Trump penned a “bawdy” birthday greeting to Epstein. This was years ahead of the time when Epstein faced allegations of sex trafficking involving young girls, his subsequent death while in custody awaiting a federal trial, and his transformation into a controversial figure among some of Trump’s fervent MAGA supporters, as well as the public.
“Happy Birthday — and may every day be another wonderful secret,” the note read near Trump’s squiggled signature around a drawing of a naked woman, according to the Journal.
Trump denied he wrote the message, which the Journal reported was included in a book of letters to Epstein for his 50th birthday. The president also threatened to sue the outlet owned by billionaire Rupert Murdoch for publishing the story.
Trump has urged allies to stop bringing up what he dubbed the “Epstein hoax” after the Department of Justice announced its investigation determined Epstein did not keep a “client list” and died by suicide in jail.
“This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!” the president wrote in a post on his Truth Social website Thursday night.
The Trump administration, through the Department of Government Efficiency, took an axe to most taxpayer-funded media subscriptions earlier this year.
When a social media follower asked Fine why the federal government was paying for Journal subscriptions, the first-term Florida congressman replied that it was a “great question.”
“I’m the new guy. Just got here three months ago,” Fine wrote. “I’m blown away by all the crazy things money gets spent on.”
