Melania Trump Denies Association with Jeffrey Epstein, Calls for Congressional Hearings

Former First Lady Melania Trump issued a public statement on Thursday from the White House, delivering a series of denials regarding the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and urging Congress to take action.

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today."

Key Denials in the Statement

In her address, delivered in front of cameras without taking questions, Melania Trump made several specific denials:

She stated, "I am not Epstein's victim."
She denied that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump, addressing a claim contained within a heavily redacted FBI interview included in recently released Justice Department files.
She asserted she had "never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims" and was "never involved in any capacity."
She stated she never visited Epstein's private island or flew on his private plane.
She described a 2002 email to Epstein's co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, as "casual correspondence." The email, signed "Love, Melania," complimented Maxwell's appearance and suggested a phone call. Trump characterized it as a "polite reply" that "doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note."
She stated, "I've never been friends with Epstein," explaining that she and Donald Trump were occasionally invited to the same social events in New York City and Palm Beach.

Melania Trump also cautioned about "fake images and statements" circulating on social media, asserting they are "completely false."

Call for Congressional Action

A central part of the statement was a call for legislative action.

"Epstein was not alone."

Melania Trump urged Congress to "act" by holding public hearings "specifically centered around the survivors" of Epstein. She advocated for victims to "testify under oath in front of Congress."

Context and Background

The statement follows the release of documents related to the Epstein case by the Justice Department. A tranche of documents published in late January includes mentions of both Melania and Donald Trump.

Donald Trump is referenced in the files in the context of a past social acquaintance with Epstein before a falling out. The former president has also denied any wrongdoing or knowledge of Epstein's alleged crimes.
Some reporting, including an NPR investigation in February, noted that certain documents naming Donald Trump were initially withheld before later publication.
Victim advocacy groups have criticized the withholding and redaction of some documents in the releases, as well as the exposure of victims' names.

Congressional and Political Response

The House Oversight Committee is conducting an investigation into aspects of the Epstein case. Following Melania Trump's statement, Democratic committee member Suhas Subramanyam suggested she should appear before the committee if she wished to clarify her name. He also expressed puzzlement over the timing of her address.

The Epstein matter has been a recurring subject of political debate. During his administration, Donald Trump's Justice Department withdrew from a commitment to release all records related to criminal investigations into Epstein. Donald Trump has previously referred to continued focus on Epstein as a "Democrat hoax" and stated he ended his friendship with Epstein years ago.

Reporting on Statement Coordination

Reports emerged concerning Donald Trump's awareness of his wife's statement. Initial reporting indicated the former president knew about the planned address. This was later revised to state it was unclear if he was informed of the specific topic of her remarks.