For months, President Trump has tried to dismiss questions about his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, notably denying that he had been the author of a lewd birthday message to the financier and sex offender.

On Monday, Congress released the message — and many more like it.

David Enrich, a deputy investigations editor at The Times, explains how the book, and an investigation into Mr. Epstein’s finances, reveal how Mr. Epstein leveraged his rich and powerful friends to fund a yearslong criminal conspiracy.

Guest: David Enrich, a deputy investigations editor for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

• A House panel released the drawing for Mr. Epstein apparently signed by Mr. Trump.
• A Times investigation found that JPMorgan spent years supporting — and profiting from — the notorious sex offender, ignoring red flags, suspicious activity and concerned executives.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Photo: Uma Sanghvi/Palm Beach Post, via Associated Press

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