“Lies end today”: Melania Trump rejects Epstein links

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

U.S. First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday issued a forceful denial of any association with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

She spoke at the White House, while simultaneously calling on Congress to establish a formal hearing to address the plight of Epstein’s victims.

Standing alone in the East Room without a prepared teleprompter, Mrs. Trump delivered a brief but pointed statement aimed at quelling what she termed a “persistent and malicious” online conspiracy theory.

“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Mrs. Trump said, her tone measured but firm.

“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,” she added.

The First Lady did not specify the individuals or platforms she was accusing of spreading the claims, which have circulated in fringe online communities for years despite a lack of verifiable evidence.

Epstein, who died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, maintained a high-profile social circle that included politicians, business leaders, and royalty.

While her husband, President Donald Trump, has been photographed with Epstein on several occasions in the 1990s and early 2000s, no credible evidence has ever emerged placing Melania Trump at Epstein’s residences or aboard his private aircraft.

In a notable pivot, Mrs. Trump used the denial as a springboard to advocate for legislative transparency regarding the Epstein case.

She urged Republican and Democratic leaders to “set aside performative politics” and convene a congressional hearing dedicated exclusively to hearing the testimony of Epstein’s survivors.

“Let the women who suffered under this predator speak directly to the American people, under oath, without filter and without fear,” she said, adding that “They deserve a platform that is not a documentary or a podcast, but the seat of justice in the Capitol.”

Mrs. Trump concluded her remarks without taking questions, returning to the residence as aides declined to provide further comment.

The White House, speaking on behalf of the current administration, said it had no role in arranging the statement but respects “any citizen’s right to address falsehoods and advocate for victims of crime.”