First lady Melania Trump on Thursday forcefully denied any connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling allegations linking her to him “false” and defamatory.
In a stunning statement from the White House, Melania Trump said she never had a relationship with Epstein and had no knowledge of his crimes.
"I never made friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time," she said.
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It's unclear what prompted the first lady to speak out on Thursday.
Melania Trump also addressed past correspondence with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, which was revealed in documents released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. She said an email exchange between them was “casual” and did not indicate any relationship.
"I'm not a witness or a main witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes," she said.
The first lady rejected what she described as “fake images" and stories circulating online, insisting she did not meet the president through Epstein and never visited his island.
Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold public hearings focused on Epstein’s victims, urging lawmakers to give survivors the opportunity to testify under oath.
“Each and every woman should have a day to tell her story in public, if she wishes,” she said.
The House Oversight Committee is investigating the federal government’s handling of the cases involving Epstein and Maxwell.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s ranking member, said he agreed with Melania Trump on the need for public hearings for survivors.
"We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Lady’s request and schedule a public hearing immediately," he said.
Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges when he died by suicide in a New York jail in 2019. Maxwell was later convicted on related charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
