President Donald Trump recently denied ever creating any drawings or doodle, but evidence from a 2004 charity event tells a different story.
A Strange Denial Sparks Attention
The issue began when The Wall Street Journal published a report about a 2003 letter tied to Jeffrey Epstein. The letter, reportedly part of Epstein’s birthday note collection, included Trump’s name and a sketch of a naked woman. After the article was released, Trump responded strongly.
“I never wrote a picture in my life. I don’t draw pictures of women,” Trump told the Wall Street Journal. He also posted on his Truth Social platform: “I don’t draw pictures.”
But now, a former charity organizer says she received not one, but two signed drawings from Trump for a fundraising auction in 2004. These were simple sketches, but they came with Trump’s authentic signature and written permission to be auctioned.
This contradiction between the President’s words and documented events from the past has stirred curiosity across the media and public.
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The 2004 Doodle Auction and Trump’s Participation
In 2004, Dr. Lowery Lockard was organizing a fundraising event for Hattie Larlham, a nonprofit foundation in Ohio that supports individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event involved collecting simple drawings—or “doodles”—from celebrities to be auctioned for charity.
Lockard and her team sent out doodle kits to about 150 celebrities. The kits contained blank drawing paper and instructions allowing the celebrities to draw anything they wanted. They were also asked to sign a waiver confirming the work was theirs and giving the foundation permission to sell the artwork.
To Lockard’s surprise, Donald Trump, then known as a businessman and reality TV host, responded with two signed drawings. One of the sketches was of the New York City skyline. Both were drawn using a gold Sharpie, a detail that stands out as part of Trump’s personal branding.
“It was somebody we reached out to,” Lockard recalled. “It just wasn’t really something that I would have expected. But it was artful and done with care.”
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She confirmed that Trump had signed the required release form. “They sign a release that they’re aware that we’re going to sell them,” she said. “We do have an authentic signature. It was authenticated when we received it.”
One of the original Trump drawings has now resurfaced and will be auctioned again in September 2025 after being donated back to another charity. Lockard plans to start the bidding at $10,000. “It’s a great doodle,” she said.
Trump’s Doodle at Other Auctions
The 2004 charity doodles are not the only Trump drawings that have been made public. Over the years, multiple sketches signed by Trump have shown up at various auction houses and sold for impressive sums.
A drawing of a tree with dollar bills falling from it, signed “Donald Trump,” was sold for $8,500. A drawing of the Empire State Building sold for $16,000. In 2017, a minimalist sketch of the New York City skyline with a gold marker signature was sold for $29,184 at Julien’s Auctions in Los Angeles.
All these sketches were reportedly signed by Trump and done using his preferred gold Sharpie.
Despite this, Trump’s recent denial to The Wall Street Journal was clear: “It’s not my language. It’s not my words. I never wrote a picture.” The wording confused some, including Lockard. “‘Wrote a picture’ is a little bit different than drawing a doodle, I guess,” she said. “I’m not exactly sure what that terminology means.”
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Even Donald Trump Jr., the President’s eldest son, has stated publicly that he’s never seen his father doodle.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed the Wall Street Journal story, saying: “As the President has said, the Wall Street Journal printed fake news and he doesn’t draw things like the outlet described.”
But Lockard stands by her memory and the documents she has kept. With signed release forms and the original artwork still preserved, the story paints a different picture than the one publicly denied by President Trump.