Melania decries ‘lies’ linking her to Epstein
US first lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.
The 55-year-old’s rare on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the blue, in an extraordinary intervention in a scandal that has long haunted her husband President Donald Trump.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect.”
It was not clear why the Slovenian-born former model decided to give the public statement, and she did not detail any specific allegations about her and the late, convicted sex offender.
Public hearing
Melania and Donald Trump had previously been photographed with Epstein, but she said that she had met her husband independently two years prior to meeting Epstein.
“I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,” Melania said.
The first lady also urged Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors of Epstein’s abuse to “give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath.”
Two of Epstein’s accusers, sisters Maria and Annie Farmer, reacted to the first lady’s comments Thursday, and told US media in a statement: “We can’t speak for other survivors, but what we want is accountability, transparency, and justice.”
The sisters also called for the release of “the remaining records held by the Department of Justice—including my complete FBI records from 1996.”
The Epstein scandal has repeatedly overshadowed Trump’s second presidency. The US Justice Department has over the past year released huge tranches of files related to Epstein. Trump, 79, has also denied any link to Epstein’s crimes.
Widely seen picture
One widely seen picture in the files showed Donald and Melania at their Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida along with Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
“I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. Was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island,” Melania said.
Speculation ran riot on social media about why the US first lady had decided to put the Epstein scandal back in the headlines after weeks of relative quiet.
It comes just two days after her husband announced a ceasefire in the US-Israeli war on Iran, which critics say has left the crucial Strait of Hormuz still largely shuttered by Tehran.
But Melania has long been an elusive and often mysterious presence at the White House, who only rarely gives public remarks of the kind she delivered on Thursday.
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