The Media Line: ‘The Lies Need To End:’ Melania Trump Denies Relationship with Epstein, Maxwell and Urges Congressional Hearing for Victims  

‘The Lies Need To End:’ Melania Trump Denies Relationship with Epstein, Maxwell and Urges Congressional Hearing for Victims  

By The Media Line Staff  

First lady Melania Trump denied a close relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell during a rare public statement from the White House on Wednesday, seeking to refute what she described as false allegations linking her to the disgraced financier.  

She also called on Congress to hold public hearings for Epstein’s victims, urging lawmakers to allow survivors to testify under oath so their accounts can be formally recorded.  

Speaking from the Grand Foyer, the first lady addressed longstanding rumors directly, declaring, “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” and asserting she had no connection to Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.  

“I never been friends with Epstein,” Trump said, explaining that while she and Donald Trump occasionally attended the same social events as Epstein in New York City and Palm Beach, there was no personal relationship. “To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell.”  

Jeffrey Epstein was a financier who was arrested in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking minors and later died in jail while awaiting trial. Ghislaine Maxwell, his associate, was convicted in 2021 of helping recruit and abuse underage girls and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.  

She also addressed a previously reported email exchange with Maxwell, describing it as routine communication. “My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence,” she said, adding that it did not reflect any deeper association.  

The first lady said she first encountered Epstein in 2000 at an event she attended with Donald Trump and emphasized she had no knowledge of his criminal conduct at the time. She rejected claims circulating online, stating, “Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been calculating on social media for years now,” and warned, “Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false.”  

She said her name has not appeared in legal proceedings tied to Epstein and denied any involvement in his activities. “I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island,” she said.  

Trump added that she and her attorneys have challenged what she called “unfound and baseless lies,” noting that several individuals and organizations, including Daily Beast, James Carville, and HarperCollins UK, had issued apologies or retractions.