Melania Trump Denies Jeffrey Epstein Ties at White House

First lady Melania Trump has publicly denied any connection to the crimes committed by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a surprise appearance at the White House on April 9, 2026.

Addressing cameras at the White House, the first lady stated: The lies that associate me with this infamous character that is Jeffrey Epstein must stop today.

This public statement follows a period of aggressive legal action taken by Melania Trump’s legal team to combat claims linking her to the social circle of the deceased financier. According to reports from NBC News, the first lady directed her attorneys to take swift action against any individual or platform publishing information she deemed defamatory or falsehoods regarding Epstein.

Legal Challenges and Retractions

The legal strategy employed by the East Wing has been described as more direct than the defensive posture of the West Wing. This approach has resulted in several retractions and apologies from media outlets.

In July 2025, The Daily Beast published a story headlined Melania Trump ‘Very Involved’ in Epstein Scandal: Author. The article was based on an interview with biographer Michael Wolff. Following challenges from the first lady’s lawyers regarding the framing and headline of the piece, the publication issued a retraction.

Melania Trump later shared the updated apology and retraction from The Daily Beast on her X account, a post that was subsequently amplified by the White House.

Allegations and Denials

The controversy centers on claims made by Michael Wolff, who alleges that Melania Trump moved within Epstein’s social orbit during her modeling career in the 1990s. Wolff claimed that she was introduced to Donald Trump through Paolo Zampolli, the founder of ID Models, who maintained connections to both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

Wolff stated during a July 2025 interview on The Daily Beast podcast that Epstein [knew] her well and alleged that Zampolli, who helped Melania emigrate to the United States and later served as Donald Trump’s special representative for global partnerships, played a role in the introduction.

Melania Trump has categorically rejected these accounts. In addition to her April 9, 2026, statement, she has previously denied any ties to Jeffrey Epstein and has called for the testimony of survivors.

Further claims involving Epstein have surfaced via recordings attributed to Michael Wolff. These tapes allegedly contain Epstein discussing Donald Trump’s relationship with Melania and claiming that Trump liked to sleep with the wives of his friends. These recordings have not been independently verified.

Administration Response

President Donald Trump has previously commented on the matter, stating in August 2025 that his wife was very upset by claims related to Epstein that demean her.

The White House has previously issued warnings that files related to Jeffrey Epstein may contain untrue information. While the first lady and her team have generally maintained a reserved public posture since their first term in office, they have been selective and aggressive in engaging specifically with material that links Melania Trump to Epstein.