‘End These Lies’: Melania Trump rejects Epstein claims, seeks victims’ hearing

US First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday categorically denied any ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein , calling allegations linking her to his crimes “completely false” and “smears” against her reputation. Delivering a rare and strongly worded statement at the White House, she said she and her legal team had been fighting and successfully challenging what she described as “unfounded and baseless lies.”

“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said, adding that those spreading such claims were “devoid of ethical standards” and engaging in “mean-spirited attempts to defame” her. She stressed that she had no association with Epstein or his former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, while acknowledging that they may have moved in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida.

Addressing scrutiny over a past email exchange with Maxwell, the First Lady described it as “casual correspondence” and dismissed its significance. “My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trifle,” she said, seeking to downplay its relevance amid renewed attention following document releases tied to the case.

In a notable appeal, Melania Trump called on the US Congress to hold public hearings centred on survivors of Epstein’s abuse , arguing that victims should be given an opportunity to testify openly before lawmakers. “Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes,” she said, adding, “Then, and only then, we will have the truth.” Her remarks drew support from Democratic lawmakers, including Robert Garcia, who urged House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer to convene hearings “immediately.”

The First Lady’s comments come at a time when the Epstein controversy had begun to recede from the political spotlight, overshadowed by other global developments. However, her intervention is likely to renew attention on the issue. She also reiterated that Epstein did not introduce her to her husband, Donald Trump, stating that she met him independently at a New York party in 1998.

Epstein, accused of operating a sex trafficking network involving underage girls , died in 2019 while awaiting trial in New York. Maxwell was later convicted in 2021 for her role in facilitating the abuse and sentenced to prison, closing a major chapter in one of the most high-profile criminal cases involving elite social circles.