US first lady Melania Trump on Thursday denied having any ties to Jeffrey Epstein and dismissed claims she was linked to or victimized by him. In a rare White House statement, she said she and husband Donald Trump met in 1998, dismissing speculation that Epstein introduced them and calling on Congress to hold public hearings for the victims.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump has distanced himself from the matter, noting that he was unaware of the speech.
What did the first lady say in her speech?
“The lies linking me to the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein must end today,” she said. “The individuals who lie about me lack ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not defend their ignorance, rather I reject their vile attempts to smear my reputation.”
“I’m not Epstein’s victim,” she said, responding to what she said were false allegations against her.
She said she never had a relationship with Epstein or his convicted companion Ghislaine Maxwell, but “crossed paths” with Epstein in 2000 at an event she attended with Donald Trump, five years before they were married.
“I was never friends with Epstein,” Melania Trump said. “Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, because overlapping social circles are common in New York and Palm Beach.”
“At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal activities,” she said.
Read also | Did Epstein’s other crimes go unpunished?
Regarding Melania Trump’s 2002 email to Ghislaine Maxwell about a New York Magazine article about Jeffrey Epstein — released in the files — she said it was just casual correspondence. “Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great in the pic,” the email reads. “Call me when you’re back in NY.
“My polite response to her email is nothing more than a trivial remark,” Melania Trump captioned her email without elaborating.
Epstein, who pleaded guilty in 2008 to two felonies in Florida, including procuring a minor for prostitution, was facing federal charges of trafficking minors in 2019 when he died in prison by suicide.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Why did Melania choose to speak out now?
Melania did not explain why she chose to speak on Thursday, reviving a topic that has largely disappeared from the headlines amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran. But her top aide, Marc Beckman, told Reuters in a statement: “First Lady Melania Trump has spoken now because enough is enough. The lies must stop.”
Read also | Warren Buffett may stop donating to Gates Foundation after Epstein saga
How did Trump react to the speech?
Donald Trump said he was unaware of Melania Trump’s remarks at the White House on Thursday denying any connection to Jeffrey Epstein.
“She didn’t know him (Epstein),” the president told MS NOW’s Jacqueline Alemany, who reported on X that he was in a meeting about the Iran war and could not speak further.
(With input from agencies)
