Melania Trump delivers statement at White House denying ties to Epstein and knowledge of his crimes

WASHINGTON— First Lady Melania Trump told reporters publicly at the White House on Thursday that she had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes and that the convicted sex offender had not introduced her to her husband, President Trump.

“The lies that tie me to the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein must end today,” the first lady said. He added that he was “not a victim of Epstein” and emphasized: “Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.”

The First Lady spoke for less than six minutes and left the room without answering reporters’ questions; one of which is “Why now?” he shouted. as you leave the room.

Instead, Melania Trump decided to read a statement distancing herself from any connection to Epstein and his convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. He said he never boarded Epstein’s plane or visited his private island and noted that his name was never included in court documents, depositions, victim statements or FBI interviews about the Epstein files.

“False smears about me by malicious and politically motivated individuals and organizations who want to damage my good name in order to gain financial gain and political advancement must end,” he said.

Melania Trump told reporters that she met her husband “by chance” at a party in New York in 1998.

The Trumps and Epstein overlapped in social circles in New York and were photographed together.

Melania Trump has previously disputed allegations that Epstein played a role in promoting her and Donald Trump.

Last year, writer Michael Wolff said in a Daily Beast article that was later retracted that Epstein played a role in introducing the couple. Melania Trump later sent a letter to Wolff, demanding that he retract his statements, apologize and offer her a financial settlement. Wolff filed a lawsuit in response, claiming Melania Trump’s letter was designed to “create a climate of fear” and “stop the legitimate investigation into the Trumps’ and Epstein affair.” The case continues.

HarperCollins UK also recalled last year’s biography of former British Prince Andrew, which claimed that Epstein promoted Melania and Donald Trump.

In an email he sent in 2016, Epstein claimed that he was with Donald Trump and Melania Knauss (then known as Melania Knauss) when they met.

Epstein was a known storyteller and there is no indication where the alleged meeting took place.

The email, with the recipient’s name redacted, was released by the Justice Department in response to last year’s Epstein File Transparency Act, which required the agency to release all documents related to its investigations into the late financier accused of sexually abusing more than 1,000 victims.

The first lady’s appearance on Thursday was notable for its rarity. She has largely stayed out of the public eye during her husband’s second term, making her decision to address allegations tied to one of the most high-profile scandals dogging the Trump administration all the more remarkable.

In a phone call with an MS NOW reporter, the president said he “knew nothing” about the first lady’s on-camera statement. The White House sent a statement to the press on Wednesday about plans to issue “a statement.”

During the scheduled event, Melania Trump acknowledged exchanging emails with Maxwell but said she never had a relationship with him or Epstein. He said the correspondence was a “trivial note” and a “polite response” to an email.

The Epstein files released by the Department of Justice include: 2002 email exchange Between Maxwell and a woman who identified herself as Melania.

The woman asked Maxwell, “Dear G! How are you?” he writes. “Nice story about JE in NY magazine. You look great in the photo.”

The message appears to reference a 2002 New York Magazine article in which Donald Trump described Epstein as a “great guy” and said he had known the financier for 15 years.

Trump said about Epstein: “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It’s even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and most of them are on the younger side.” “There is no doubt that Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”

In a 2002 email exchange, the woman asked Maxwell about her recent trip to Palm Beach, Florida, where Epstein owned a mansion, and suggested they keep in touch in the future.

“Call me when you get back to New York,” he wrote.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on whether this was the email Melania Trump was referring to.

Modeling agent Paolo Zampolli, who has long been considered the person who introduced Melania and Donald Trump, claimed in an interview that he was the person who introduced the duo.

“I would be happy to testify before Congress introducing the President to the First Lady,” he said.

Zampolli, who met Epstein from the modeling world and was also included in the Epstein documents, said that it was no surprise that Melania Trump encountered Epstein and Maxwell.

“These people were around,” Zampolli said of Epstein and Maxwell. “They were part of the scene.”

Zampolli, a longtime Trump ally, is currently the US special envoy for global partnerships and served on the Kennedy Center’s board in the previous Trump administration.

He was once a modeling scout recently accused He has denied that he used his political connections to get his Brazilian ex-girlfriend detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Melania Trump did not directly defend her husband’s connections to Epstein. “Epstein was not alone,” he said, noting that several prominent people resigned from their positions after their names emerged in the Epstein files.

“Of course, this does not imply guilt, but we must still work openly and transparently to reveal the truth,” he said.

Trump has repeatedly been accused of hiding information about the Epstein files from the public

The First Lady concluded by calling on Congress to hold public hearings focusing on the testimony of Epstein survivors.

“Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone,” Trump said. “I urge Congress to provide a public hearing that centers the women who were victims of Epstein, especially the survivors. Give these victims the opportunity to testify under oath before Congress through the power of affidavit.”

A group of 15 Epstein victims and their family members criticized the First Lady’s call to testify to Congress, saying it puts the burden on survivors to shed light on Epstein’s crimes and diverts attention from the former Advocate. General Pam Bondi, who resisted testifying to the House Oversight Committee about the release of the files.

“The survivors did their part,” the group wrote. “Now is the time for those in power to do their duty.”

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, agreed with the First Lady that a public hearing should be held in Congress.

“We encourage the President” [James] “Come forward, respond to the First Lady’s request and immediately schedule a public hearing,” Garcia (D-Long Beach) wrote in a statement.

A spokesman for Comer, a Kentucky Republican, did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.