First Lady Melania Trump has denied any relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, telling reporters at the White House that any claims linking the two “need to end today.”
In a surprise announcement on Thursday, the first lady also called for congressional hearings for survivors of Epstein’s sex trafficking network.
She denied online rumours that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump, calling them “mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”
It remains unclear what prompted the announcement. There was no prior indication from her office that she would make a statement on Epstein.
Melania Trump said she had not been a victim of Epstein, with whom she only briefly “crossed paths” in 2000.
“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.”
She also denied knowing Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s jailed associate. She referred to a 2002 email between her and Maxwell released in the Epstein files, calling it nothing more than “casual correspondence” and a “polite reply.”
The email, addressed to “G” and complimenting a New York Magazine story featuring Epstein, said: “Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time! Love, Melania.”
The first lady additionally called on lawmakers to “give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony.”
“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,” she said. “Then, and only then, we will have the truth.”
California Representative Robert Garcia, the most powerful Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said that “we agree with Melania Trump’s call for a public hearing” and urged the committee chairman to respond.
However, survivors of Epstein expressed skepticism. Sky and Amanda Roberts, family of Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, said survivors “have already shown extraordinary courage” and accused the first lady of protecting “those with power.”
“Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs,” they said in a statement.
The first lady’s statement at the White House is an extremely rare appearance, one of only a handful of similar events since her husband returned to the White House. She did not take questions from reporters.
