I'm not Epstein's victim: Melania Trump blasts claims about ties with sex offender

Melania Trump said she had never had any relationship with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, adding that her interaction with Maxwell was limited to casual correspondence.

In Short

• Melania Trump denies any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell
• Says allegations linking her to Epstein false and defamatory
• Calls for Congress to allow Epstein victims’ testimony in official record

US First Lady Melania Trump has dismissed claims linking her to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, calling the allegations false and defamatory in a rare public statement issued on Thursday.

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," she said in remarks delivered from the White House. Melania Trump said she had never had any relationship with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, adding that her interaction with Maxwell was limited to casual correspondence.

She made it clear that she had "never had a relationship" with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, adding that any interaction was limited to brief encounters in shared social settings. "I never been friends with Epstein," she said, noting that overlapping appearances at events in New York and Palm Beach were not unusual at the time.

"I am not Epstein’s victim," she added, rejecting speculation about any deeper connection and stressing that her name has never appeared in court filings, depositions or investigative records tied to the case.

She also pushed back against a report from author Michael Wolff that the notorious pedophile introduced her to Donald Trump. "Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," she said.

Epstein, who was arrested in 2019 on sex trafficking charges involving minors, died later that year in a Manhattan jail. His death was ruled a suicide, though it has remained the subject of public scrutiny.

MELANIA TRUMP PUSHES BACK ON VIRAL 'FALSE' CLAIMS

In her statement, Melania Trump also addressed what she described as fabricated material circulating on social media. She said "numerous fake images and statements" have been used to misrepresent her, urging the public to be cautious about what they believe.

She further warned that legal action would continue against those spreading "baseless lies," noting that several individuals and organisations had already been forced to retract claims and issue public apologies.

She also called on Congress to allow testimony from Epstein victims and to enter them into the official record. "Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story," she said.

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