WASHINGTON - In an uncommon national statement from the White House on Thursday, First Lady Melania Trump forcefully rejected assertions tying her to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and urged Congress to create a public forum for Epstein's survivors. The remarks sought to address longstanding conspiracy theories that have repeatedly surfaced around President Donald Trump and his family.
Below is the full text of the first lady's remarks as delivered:
Good afternoon. The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation. I never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach. To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note. I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in a detail in my book Melania.The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended together. At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false. I’m not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein’s crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, the depositions, victim statements or FBI in interviews surrounding the Epstein matter. I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with Epstein, sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior. The false sneers 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. My attorneys and I have fought these unfound and baseless lies with success, and will continue to maintain my sound reputation without hesitation. To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated to publicly apologize and retract their lies about me, such as Daily Beast, James Carville and HarperCollins UK.Now is the time for Congress to act. Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth. 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 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. Then, and only then, we will have the truth. Thank you.
The first lady opened by insisting that falsehoods connecting her to Epstein must stop immediately, describing those who spread such claims as lacking ethical standards. She said she had not been friends with Epstein and emphasized that any social overlap occurred because she and her husband occasionally attended some of the same events in New York City and Palm Beach.
Melania Trump addressed specific items commonly circulated online, including images and statements she called fabricated. She said her exchange with Ghislaine Maxwell amounted to a polite, casual email reply and that the message should not be interpreted as evidence of a relationship. She stated explicitly that she was not a victim of Epstein and denied any role in his criminal activities.
The first lady also disputed assertions that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump, saying their first meeting took place by chance at a 1998 New York City party and that account appears in her book, Melania. According to her remarks, the first time she encountered Epstein directly was at a 2000 event she and Donald Trump both attended; at that time she said she had no awareness of Epstein’s crimes.
She stressed that her name does not appear in court filings, depositions, victim statements or FBI interviews related to Epstein. She declared she never traveled on Epstein's plane, never visited his private island and had never been accused or convicted in connection with sex trafficking, abuse of minors or related offenses.
On enforcement and redress, Melania Trump said she and her legal team have successfully contested what she characterized as baseless allegations. She cited legal outcomes that led several individuals and organizations to apologize publicly and retract statements, naming the Daily Beast, James Carville and HarperCollins UK as examples of parties that did so.
Turning to institutional response, she urged Congress to hold public hearings focused on survivors, asking that women who wish to testify be allowed to do so under oath and that their testimonies be entered into the Congressional Record. She argued that such formal proceedings would help establish the truth and noted that some executives had resigned from positions after the matter became politicized - a point she said should not be conflated with admissions of guilt.
The address was framed as both a personal defense and a call for formal, public examination of Epstein's crimes through congressional oversight. Beyond rejecting the allegations against her, the first lady emphasized a desire to see survivors heard in a transparent, sworn setting.
Context and implications for markets and policy
While the remarks were primarily personal and legal in nature, the first lady’s call for congressional hearings touches on political and reputational risk for high-profile individuals and institutions. The demand for sworn, public testimony could shape legislative or oversight activity that affects public discourse and potentially the political environment.
For investors and market participants, heightened political scrutiny and high-profile hearings can influence sentiment in sectors tied to media, publishing, and companies associated with individuals drawn into such controversies. Financial and reputational consequences for noted figures and firms were referenced in the remarks.