Standing with class and dignity above the gutter where media smears flow, First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday made it very clear that she has had enough of defaming slurs linking her with sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
The first lady has gone to court in the past to push back against anyone who wrongly linked her with Epstein, getting apologies and retractions from HarperCollins UK, the Daily Beast, and Democratic Party strategist James Carville.
On Thursday, she took the offensive, saying that “the lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” according to comments posted to the White House website.
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation,” she said.
🚨 BREAKING: In a massive moment, First Lady Melania Trump demands Congress allow Epstein’s survivors to PUBLICLY TESTIFY about what happened to them, saying Epstein did NOT act alone
WOW! This is about to ROCK DC
“Now is the time for Congress to ACT. Epstein was NOT alone.… pic.twitter.com/pHxZM8PwdU
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) April 9, 2026
Melania Trump said appearing at the same parties as Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, was an unavoidable reality of the social whirl of New York City and Palm Beach.
“I have never been friends with Epstein,” she said, adding, “To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell.”
She referenced a 2002 chatty email to Maxwell that appeared in the Epstein files. In it, according to the Independent, she wrote, “Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.”
“I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time!” the email added.
As noted by PBS, that was three years before any investigation into Epstein’s relationships with underage girls began.
“My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note,” Melania Trump said in her Thursday statement.
The first lady made it clear that however media outlets try to conjure up a connection, they will be wrong.
“I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book, ‘Melania,’” she said.
When Melania Trump speaks with such grace and poise, the world listens.
Justice for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) April 9, 2026
“The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000, at an event Donald and I attended together. At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings,” she continued.
“Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false.”
A Statement by First Lady Melania Trump https://t.co/BjiLZMdaKM
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) April 9, 2026
“I am not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein’s crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements, or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter. I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity — I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island,” she said, adding, “I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein’s sex trafficking, abuse of minors, and other repulsive behavior.”
“The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop,” she said, noting her success and the legal battles that have cleared her name.
She called for action from Washington.
“Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth,” she remarked.
“I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress, with the power of sworn testimony. 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, will we have the truth.”
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