Melania Trump Denies Ties to Jeffrey Epstein

First lady Melania Trump issued a rare public statement from the White House on April 9, 2026, denying any relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

Speaking in the Grand Foyer of the White House, the first lady stated that she never had a relationship with Epstein or Maxwell. She characterized reports and images linking her to the financier as completely false and described accusations of her involvement as smears and unfound and baseless lies.

During her remarks, Melania Trump specifically addressed claims regarding the origins of her relationship with the U.S. President. She stated, I am not Epstein’s victim and Epstein did not introduce me to [President] Donald Trump.

The first lady further denied any knowledge of the crimes committed by the financier, stating that she had never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims and was never involved in any capacity.

Call for Congressional Hearings

In addition to her denials, Melania Trump urged the U.S. Congress to take action regarding the victims of Jeffrey Epstein. She called for the establishment of public hearings specifically designed to allow survivors to provide their testimony.

I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress.

Melania Trump

The first lady asserted that Epstein was not alone in his actions and emphasized the need for survivors to have a formal platform to speak.

Context of the Statement

The public statement follows the release of the Epstein files by the Justice Department. Included in those documents was a heavily redacted FBI interview containing a claim that Epstein had introduced the Trumps.

Melania Trump attributed the circulation of these claims to social media and individuals she described as mean-spirited and politically motivated.

The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop

Melania Trump

She added that those lying about her were devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect, stating that she rejected their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.

Legal and Political Backdrop

The timing of the first lady’s remarks coincided with ongoing legal tensions regarding the Epstein documents. On April 8, 2026, the Justice Department informed the House Oversight Committee that former Attorney General Pam Bondi would not comply with a subpoena to testify before the panel on April 14, 2026.

The subpoena issued to Bondi concerned her handling of Department of Justice documents related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The public statement was described as unusual given the first lady’s typical caution regarding her public image, and remarks. According to reports, several of her aides who gathered in the Grand Foyer to watch the statement were unaware of its specific content beforehand.

Senior adviser Marc Beckman defended the decision for the first lady to speak publicly, stating that enough is enough and that the lies must stop.

Beckman stated that the focus of the public and the media should instead be on the first lady’s incredible achievements as First Lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation.

Melania Trump delivered the statement in front of cameras on the afternoon of April 9, 2026, and did not take any questions from the reporters present.