Fact check: Bill Clinton wrote a birthday note praising Jeffrey Epstein’s “childlike curiosity.” /

1. Summary of the results

The original statement claims that Bill Clinton wrote a birthday note praising Jeffrey Epstein's "childlike curiosity." Analyses from various sources provide conflicting information regarding this claim. Some sources, such as ^[1], ^[2], and ^[3], do not mention Bill Clinton writing a birthday note praising Jeffrey Epstein's 'childlike curiosity' ^{[1] [2] [3]}. In contrast, sources ^[4], ^[5], and ^[6] support the claim, reporting that a message attributed to Bill Clinton praises Epstein's 'childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference, and the solace of friends' in a 50th birthday book compiled for Epstein in 2003 ^[4], and that the House Oversight Committee released a 'birthday book' compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell for Jeffrey Epstein's 50th birthday, which includes a message from Bill Clinton praising Epstein's 'childlike curiosity, the drive to make a difference, and the [illegible] of friends' ^{[5] [6]}. Additionally, sources ^[7], ^[8], and ^[9] provide further confirmation of the note's existence, with ^[7] reporting that a note attributed to Bill Clinton praises Epstein's 'childlike curiosity' ^[7], and ^[8] confirming the existence of a note from Bill Clinton to Jeffrey Epstein, describing Epstein as having 'childlike curiosity' and a 'drive to make a difference' ^[8]. The majority of the sources suggest that Bill Clinton did write a note praising Jeffrey Epstein's 'childlike curiosity', although the context and authenticity of the note are not universally verified ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Some sources, such as ^[1], ^[2], and ^[3], provide alternative viewpoints by not mentioning the birthday note, instead focusing on Bill Clinton's association with Epstein and his travels on Epstein's private jet ^[1], or Ghislaine Maxwell's description of Clinton as a 'truly extraordinary' man and her friendship with him ^[2], or the congressional investigation into Epstein and the subpoena issued to Bill Clinton ^[3]. These sources highlight the complexity of the situation and the need for further context. Additionally, sources ^[7] and ^[8] provide some context, with ^[7] noting that the note attributed to Bill Clinton does not provide further context or verification of the note's authenticity ^[7], and ^[8] mentioning that Clinton's office previously stated he knew nothing about Epstein's crimes ^[8]. The missing context includes the authenticity of the note, the nature of Bill Clinton's relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and the implications of the birthday note in the context of the larger investigation into Epstein's crimes ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original statement may be considered potentially misleading, as it does not provide context or verification of the note's authenticity. Sources ^[1], ^[2], and ^[3] do not mention the birthday note, which could indicate that the note is not a significant part of the larger narrative surrounding Bill Clinton's association with Jeffrey Epstein ^{[1] [2] [3]}. On the other hand, sources ^[4], ^[5], and ^[6] support the claim, which could suggest that the note is a relevant aspect of the story ^{[4] [5] [6]}. The potential beneficiaries of this framing include those who seek to emphasize Bill Clinton's connection to Jeffrey Epstein, such as media outlets or political opponents, while those who may be harmed by this framing include Bill Clinton and his associates, who may face reputational damage or further scrutiny ^{[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}.