U.S. First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement on Thursday denying any association with the late American financier Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, and called for an end to the spread of lies about her alleged relationship with Epstein.
Speaking to the media at the White House, Melania said: “Epstein and I were not friends... To be clear, I have never had any relationship with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. My replies to Maxwell’s emails were simply ordinary correspondence.”
Melania also said: “I am not a victim of Epstein. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a party in New York City in 1998.” Melania stated that she first met Epstein in 2000 when she attended an event with Trump. “Prior to that, I had never met Epstein and knew nothing about his criminal activities.”
Melania stated that the photos and statements about her and Epstein circulating on social media over the years are “completely fabricated,” and that she is not a witness or a designated witness in connection with any of Epstein’s crimes. “I have no knowledge of any abuse Epstein committed against victims. I have never been involved in it in any capacity.”
Melania finally urged Congress to hold public hearings to allow women who were victims in the Epstein case the opportunity to testify and let more people know about the case.
Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting minors for prostitution. In July 2019, he was again arrested on suspicion of sex crimes and died in jail in August of the same year, ruled as “suicide.” As a result of involving numerous celebrities in the political and business spheres in the U.S. and Europe, the Epstein case sparked widespread negative public opinion. U.S. President Trump and his administration officials and allies were also drawn into the case.