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Melania Trump Delivers Statement at White House Denying Epstein Ties/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ First Lady Melania Trump publicly denied any ties to Jeffrey Epstein. She called accusations “false” and urged Congress to hold hearings for victims. Her statement revived political debate surrounding Epstein- investigations.

• Melania Trump denies Epstein ties
• First lady issues rare White House statement
• Calls for congressional hearings for victims
• Democrats support public testimony hearings
• Republicans divided on Epstein investigations
• Email to Ghislaine Maxwell described as trivial
• Justice Department released Epstein- documents
• Political fallout continues across parties
• Epstein case resurfaces amid ongoing controversies

WASHINGTON — First Lady Melania Trump delivered a rare and unexpected statement from the White House denying any connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and rejecting allegations linking her to his criminal activities.

Speaking from the Grand Foyer, Melania Trump said accusations about her involvement were false and damaging to her reputation. She described the claims as “unfounded and baseless lies” and called on those spreading the allegations to stop.

Her five-minute statement marked an unusual public intervention by the first lady, particularly as the Trump administration had recently shifted focus to international issues, including the ongoing Iran conflict.

The first lady’s office confirmed that the West Wing was aware she planned to make a statement, though it remained unclear whether officials knew the full contents beforehand. The White House press office did not immediately respond to requests for comment following her remarks.

Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on victims of Epstein’s crimes. She said survivors should be allowed to testify publicly and have their stories formally recorded.

Two of Epstein’s accusers, Maria and Annie Farmer, responded to the first lady’s statement by calling for accountability and transparency in the investigation.

The remarks quickly drew reactions from both political parties. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene praised Melania Trump’s statement, describing it as courageous and supportive of Epstein’s victims.

Democrats also expressed support for congressional hearings. Rep. Robert Garcia, a Democrat involved in oversight investigations, called for immediate scheduling of public hearings.

Meanwhile, Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican pushing for transparency in the Epstein caseurged further action from the Justice Department, including additional prosecutions linked to Epstein’s network.

Questions about Epstein’s connections to powerful figures have remained politically sensitive and have divided some of Trump’s supporters. The controversy has also strained relationships within the broader MAGA movement, particularly as calls for releasing additional Epstein- documents intensified.

The issue resurfaced after federal authorities released millions of pages of documents under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. However, lawmakers criticized the Justice Department’s limited release, saying additional material should be made public.

Melania Trump addressed her past interactions with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwellsaying she was not friends with either but moved in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida.

She acknowledged sending a brief email reply to Maxwell, describing it as casual and insignificant.

Documents released by the Justice Department included a 2002 email addressed to Maxwell that referenced travel plans and social events. Another document included a photograph from Epstein’s residence showing Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Epstein and Maxwell together.

Melania Trump also disputed claims that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump. She said she met her future husband at a New York City party in 1998.

The first lady referenced a previous apology from HarperCollins UK, which retracted passages in a book that suggested Epstein played a role in introducing her to Trump.

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. His longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for recruiting teenage girls for Epstein and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Melania Trump’s statement has brought renewed attention to the Epstein case and calls for further investigation. As lawmakers debate additional hearings and document releases, the controversy appears likely to remain a major political issue.

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