Melania Denies Epstein Ties, Urges Congress to Hold Survivor Hearing

(The Post News)- First Lady Melania Trump has firmly rejected claims linking her to Jeffrey Epstein, dismissing the reports as entirely untrue and describing the accusations as attempts to damage her reputation.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, she said fabricated images and statements suggesting a connection between her and Epstein have been widely shared on social media.

The unexpected message came at a time when her husband, President Donald Trump, and his administration had just begun to move beyond over a year of controversy linked to Epstein, particularly as the Iran war had taken over attention in Washington.

Although brief, her remarks stood out, as she rarely addresses controversies publicly. Several aides gathered in the Grand Foyer to listen, with some unaware in advance of what she planned to say.

While this marked her first on-camera response to the Epstein issue, her team has consistently worked to dismiss what they describe as false and damaging claims.

Legal Developments

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Justice informed the House Oversight Committee that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not comply with a subpoena to testify next week.

In her statement, Trump mentioned a past email response to Ghislaine Maxwell, emphasising that it should be seen as nothing more than casual communication.

She stressed that she is not a victim of Epstein and denied that he played any role in introducing her to Donald Trump. According to her, their first encounter occurred in 2000 at an event she attended with Trump, at a time when she had no awareness of Epstein’s alleged crimes.

Her remarks appeared to refer to a 2002 email released by the Justice Department, in which she wrote a friendly message to Maxwell commenting on a magazine feature about Epstein and mentioning travel plans. The identities linked to the email addresses were redacted in the publicly released document.

Survivors Push Back on Melania’s Remarks

Over a dozen Epstein survivors issued a statement on Thursday in response to the first lady’s comments, noting that they had already demonstrated remarkable bravery by speaking out, filing complaints, and providing testimony.

They added that demanding more from them now diverts accountability rather than delivering justice. The statement also criticized the first lady for placing the responsibility on survivors in what they described as a politicised environment that shields those in positions of power.