Face it. We might question some stories about Donald Trump’s predatory behavior. There are so many, and they come from all directions. Bu we do not doubt the accuracy behind reports of a bawdy birthday card that Trump sent to pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Jeffrey Epstein’s townhouse on E. 61st St.

We believe it for the following five reasons:

  1. It appeared in The Wall Street Journal, a highly trustworthy news source that strains its back to be nice to Trump.
  2. It is controlled by Rupert Murdoch, who also owns The New York Post and Fox News. Both Murdoch and his news empire have been largely pro-Trump in the past.
  3. Trump is known to threaten purveyors of damaging news with monstrous lawsuits. True to form, he’s announced a $16 billion suit against Murdoch. Murdoch is too powerful to be intimidated by Trump. He surely expected something like this and wouldn’t have published the birthday card story if he didn’t have the goods.
  4. It’s been reported in The Independent that a few days ago that Murdoch recently met with J.D. Vance for a private chat.
  5. On what? One can hope that this is part of a plan to somehow replace Trump with the vice president. To close the circle, Trump is also in the crosshairs of Elon Musk. Musk is too rich to be intimidated by Trump. Not only does he have money, he owns X, the premiere political social media site. And he is said to remain buddies with Vance as have other tech billionaires. He’s Musk’s guy.

Just thinking.

What can we do on the East Side of Manhattan, other than watch the spectacle? (It’s been a while since the news camera’s staked out sidewalk space in front of Michael Cohen’s Park Avenue pad.) And there’s been little recent activity at Trump tower, an indication of lowered interest by both the MAGA folks and New York resisters.

Jeffrey Epstein’s townhouse at 9 East 71st Street was sold in 2021 for about $51 million, well below its $88 million asking price. The buyer was Michael Daffey, a former Goldman Sachs executive. He reportedly planned a “complete makeover — physically and spiritually.” We thank him for both.

The house is the original Herbert N. Straus Mansion.

Meanwhile, all’s quiet at Trump Tower.

Quiet these days at Trump Tower