Melania Trump
Susan Abayomi
First lady Melania Trump made a rare on-camera statement at the White House on Thursday, April 9, 2026, to deny any link to Jeffrey Epstein. She called the claims “lies” and said “the lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.” She described those spreading the stories as “devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect” and accused them of “mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.
Melania Trump stated she was never friends with Epstein and never had a relationship with him or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. She said she and Donald Trump were sometimes invited to the same parties as Epstein because “overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.” She first crossed paths with Epstein in 2000 at an event she attended with Donald Trump, and at the time had no knowledge of his criminal activities.
The first lady directly addressed two specific rumors. First, she said “I am not Epstein’s victim” and “Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.” She explained she met her husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998, an encounter documented in her book _Melania_. Second, she acknowledged a 2002 email exchange with Maxwell that was released by the Justice Department in January, but called it “casual correspondence” and “a trivial note.
Melania Trump emphasized she had no knowledge of or involvement in Epstein’s crimes. She said she was never on Epstein’s plane, never visited his private island, and is not a witness or named in any court documents, depositions, victim statements, or FBI interviews connected to the Epstein case. She also noted numerous fake images and statements about her and Epstein have circulated on social media for years and warned people to “be cautious about what you believe.”
In an unexpected turn, the first lady used the statement to call for congressional action. She urged Congress to hold a public hearing for Epstein’s victims, saying “give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress” and have their testimony entered into the congressional record. She added “Epstein was not alone” and that uncovering the truth requires openness and transparency.
The remarks were unusual for Melania Trump, who typically keeps a low profile. Michael LaRosa, former press secretary to Jill Biden, called it exceptional, noting “a first lady in contemporary times has not publicly addressed controversy in this way, and certainly never from the state floor of the White House.” Her senior adviser Marc Beckman said she “spoke out now because enough is enough” and wanted to focus attention on her achievements as first lady.
President Donald Trump told MS Now he did not “know anything about” her statement beforehand. The White House announced the event about 24 hours in advance, and one official said there was internal disagreement over whether to proceed because it risked reviving a story that had died down. Melania Trump and her lawyers believed an on-the-record denial would be helpful.
The statement has reignited discussion of the Epstein case, which has been a political problem for the Trump administration. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, and Maxwell is serving 20 years for conspiring to transport minors. President Trump has sought to move past Epstein discussions and said in February it was “time for the country to get on to something else.” Melania Trump’s address, however, has put the issue back in the spotlight.
