Melania Trump Denies Epstein Links, Calls for Congressional Hearings
First Lady Melania Trump denies connections to Jeffrey Epstein and calls for congressional hearings for survivors.
Key Facts
- —Melania Trump denies connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
- —She calls for congressional hearings for Epstein's victims.
- —Melania Trump denies Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump.
- —A 2000 photo shows Donald Trump, Melania, Epstein, and Maxwell together.
- —Melania Trump denies knowing Ghislaine Maxwell.
- —California Rep. Robert Garcia supports Melania Trump's call for hearings.
- —Discrepancy exists on President Trump's awareness of the statement.
First Lady Melania Trump has publicly denied any connections to Jeffrey Epstein and has called for congressional hearings for survivors of Epstein's sex trafficking. In a surprise announcement at the White House on Thursday, she addressed rumors and clarified her position regarding the late financier.
"Any claims linking the two need to end today," said Melania Trump, referring to herself and Epstein. She further stated, "I have never had any knowledge of Epstein abuse of his victims," and added, "I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant." (bbc.com)
Melania Trump also addressed online rumors suggesting that Epstein introduced her to her husband, President Donald Trump, which she denied. She stated that she had only briefly crossed paths with Epstein in 2000 and had not been a victim of his activities. Additionally, she denied knowing Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate.
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A photo from 2000 shows Donald Trump with Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell at the Mar-a-Lago club. Melania Trump referred to a 2002 email between her and Maxwell as 'casual correspondence' and a 'polite reply.' The email, addressed to 'G,' included compliments about a story featuring 'JE' with a photo of Maxwell that appeared in New York Magazine. The email concluded with, 'Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time! Love, Melania.'
The New York Magazine article included quotes from Donald Trump, who described Epstein as a 'terrific guy' and noted, "It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them on the younger side." (bbc.com)
Melania Trump called on lawmakers to allow survivors of Epstein's sex trafficking to testify under oath before Congress. "Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record," she said. "Then, and only then, we will have the truth." (bbc.com)
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She referenced several prominent business leaders who have resigned due to ties to Epstein, emphasizing the need for transparency. "Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth," she stated. (bbc.com)
California Representative Robert Garcia expressed agreement with Melania Trump's call for a public hearing and urged Republican Representative James Comer to schedule one immediately.
There appears to be some discrepancy regarding the president's awareness of the statement. While a spokesperson for Melania Trump indicated that President Trump was aware of her plans to make a statement, the president himself told MS Now that he did not know about his wife's statement ahead of time.