First lady Melania Trump publicly spoke out for the first time about her connection to Jeffrey Epstein, denying she had close ties with the convicted sex offender and condemning those to issue apologies for associating her with Epstein.
In a five-minute address on Thursday, Trump distanced herself from Epstein, admitting she attended the same parties as the late convicted sex offender, but forcefully stated she had no relationship with him.
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“The lies linking me with the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Trump said. “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.”
Trump said she met Epstein for the first time in 2000 at a party she and her husband, President Donald Trump, attended together. She revealed that she had “never met” Epstein prior to this exchange, and had “no knowledge” of his “criminal undertakings.”
Since then, the first lady admitted they attended the same parties “time to time,” because “overlapping” social circles is common in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, two places the Trumps frequently spent their time before jumping into politics.
Throughout her remarks, the first lady maintained her innocence, stating that her name has not appeared in court documents, victim statements, or FBI interviews surrounding the “Epstein matter.”
“I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. I was never on Epstein’s plane and never visited his private island,” she said. “I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein, sex trafficking, abuse of minors, and other repulsive behavior.”
While Trump clarified her relations to Epstein, the first lady did not address the president’s name appearing in the files or his association with the sex offender.
The first lady called out those attempting to connect her to Epstein, saying the accusations are “politically motivated.”
“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. My attorneys and I have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation,” she said.
Trump said several individuals and companies have been “legally obligated” to issue apologies, specifically naming in her remarks the Daily Beast, Democratic strategist James Carville, and publisher HarperCollins.
The first lady also addressed an email that was released from the Epstein files, showing her correspondence via email with Epstein’s coconspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell.
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Trump said her “polite” response to Maxwell doesn’t amount to anything more than a “tribal note.”
“To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell,” she said. “My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence.”
The first lady also clarified speculation that she met her husband through Epstein.
Trump said she met her husband “by chance” in New York in 1998, adding that her book, Melania, also documents the first couple’s initial encounter.
While some have been held accountable for their relations with Epstein, Trump called on Congress “to act” and hold public hearings, saying they must work “transparently” to “uncover the truth.”
“Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony,” she said. “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.”
“Then and only then, we will have the truth,” Trump continued.
In response to “fake images” circulating online of the first lady and Epstein, Trump cautioned social media users to be wary of believing everything they see on the internet.
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“Be cautious about what you believe: These images and stories are completely false,” she said. “I’m not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein’s crimes.”
After delivering her remarks, Trump walked back into the White House’s Blue Room, ignoring reporters shouting questions.
Britta Miller contributed to this article.
