US First Lady Melania Trump speaks in the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, DC on April 9, 2026.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
First lady Melania Trump, in scathing comments at the White House on Thursday, blasted what she described as an array of false claims about her and notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I am not Epstein’s victim,” Melania Trump told reporters. “Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.”
“I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims,” she said. “I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant.”
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Melania 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.”
It was not clear what spurred Melania Trump to comment on Epstein, who was previously a friend of President Trump’s. Her office’s announcement on Wednesday that she would make a statement at the White House on Thursday did not indicate what she planned to talk about.
But in her statement, which the White House later posted online, the first lady acknowledged writing a warm email to Epstein’s now-convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell on Oct. 23, 2002, which referenced a New York magazine profile about Epstein.
That email is one of millions of documents related to Epstein and Maxwell that have been released by the Department of Justice pursuant to a law mandating their public release.
In the New York article, President Trump was quoted about his then-friend Epstein.
“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump told the magazine. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”
In her email to Maxwell, Melania Trump wrote, “Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.”
“I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time! Love, Melania,” she wrote.
From left, Donald Trump and his girlfriend (and future wife), former model Melania Knauss, financier (and future convicted sex offender) Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at the Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida on Feb. 12, 2000.
Davidoff Studios Photography | Archive Photos | Getty Images
The first lady said on Thursday said that the first time “I crossed paths with Epstein” was in 2000 at an event where she was with now-President Trump.
“At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings,” Melania Trump said.
“Fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now,” she said. “Be cautious about what you believe: These images and stories are completely false.”
“I’m not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein’s crimes,” the first lady said.
“My name has never appeared in court documents .. victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter,” she said.
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