First Lady Melania Trump Responds to Epstein Allegations
WASHINGTON—On Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump spoke out against what she described as “lies” connecting her to the late Jeffrey Epstein, a disgraced sex offender.
Unexpectedly, she released a statement that wasn’t included in the White House’s official announcements to the press.
“The lies that link me to the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein must end today. Those who lie about me lack ethical standards, humility, and respect,” she stated.
Melania clarified that she and President Donald Trump occasionally attended the same events as Epstein due to overlapping social circles in New York City and Palm Beach, Florida.
“To be clear, I had no connection whatsoever with Epstein or his accomplices. My e-mail responses to [Ghislaine] Maxwell cannot be classified as anything more than mere correspondence; my polite replies to her e-mails are nothing more than notes,” she said.
She emphasized that she was not a victim of Epstein and noted she had known her husband long before ever meeting Epstein. “I am not a victim of Epstein. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,” she remarked. “I met my husband by chance at a party in New York City in 1998, which I detail in my book melania.”
Melania recounted that their first encounter with Epstein was at an event in 2000, where she claimed she had no prior knowledge of his criminal activities.
She also condemned the “fake images and statements” circulating online that suggest a connection between her and Epstein. “Be careful what you believe. These images and stories are completely false,” she cautioned.
Additionally, she asserted:
I am not a witness or named witness in connection with Epstein’s crimes. My name has never appeared in any court documents, depositions, victim statements, or FBI interviews related to Epstein. I had no knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I have never been involved in any capacity. I was not a participant, nor have I ever been on Epstein’s plane or visited his private island. I have never been legally charged or convicted in connection with Epstein, sex trafficking, abuse of minors, or any other disturbing conduct.
She characterized the attacks against her as “slander” driven by political motives. Melania pointed out that the legal system had requested a public apology from HarperCollins UK and called upon Congress to hold hearings for Epstein’s victims.
“I call on Congress to provide survivor-centered hearings for the women who were victims of Epstein. Give these victims the opportunity to use the power of sworn testimony to testify before Congress,” she urged.
She concluded with a strong sentiment: “Every woman should have a day to tell her story in public if she chooses, and her testimony should be permanently recorded in the Congressional record. Only then will we know the truth.”
