WASHINGTON, United States, April 10, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - US First Lady Melania 
Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey 
Epstein's abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex 
offender.

The 55-year-old's rare on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the 
blue, in an extraordinary intervention in a scandal that has long haunted her 
husband President Donald Trump.

"The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," 
she said. "The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, 
humility and respect."

It was not clear why the Slovenian-born former model decided to give the 
public statement, and she did not detail any specific allegations about her 
and the late, convicted sex offender.

Melania and Donald Trump had previously been photographed with Epstein, but 
she said that she had met her husband independently two years prior to 
meeting Epstein.

"I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," 
Melania Trump said.

She said "fake images and statements about Epstein and me" had been 
circulating on social media "for years now. Be cautious about what you 
believe: these images and stories are completely false."

The first lady also urged Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors of 
Epstein's abuse to "give these victims their opportunity to testify under 
oath."

But some Epstein survivors and their families, including the brother of 
Epstein's main accuser Virginia Giuffre, called the speech a "deflection of 
responsibility."

"First Lady Melania Trump is now shifting the burden onto survivors under 
political conditions that protect those with power" including "the Trump 
Administration, which has still not fully complied with the Epstein Files 
Transparency Act," according to a joint statement posted on social media.

Two of Epstein's accusers, sisters Maria and Annie Farmer told US media in a 
separate statement: "We can't speak for other survivors, but what we want is 
accountability, transparency and justice."

The sisters called for the release of "the remaining records held by the 
Department of Justice -- including my complete FBI records from 1996."

Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex 
trafficking charges involving minors, but the scandal has repeatedly 
overshadowed Trump's second presidency.

- 'Epstein's abuse' -

The US Justice Department has over the past year released huge tranches of 
files related to Epstein. Trump, 79, has also denied any link to Epstein's 
crimes.

One widely-seen picture in the files showed Donald and Melania Trump at their 
Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida along with Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine 
Maxwell.

"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," Melania Trump said.

"I have never been legally accused or convicted of a crime in connection with 
Epstein sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior."

Democrat Suhas Subramanyam, who sits on the congressional committee probing 
Epstein, called on Melania Trump to "testify under oath."

Speculation ran riot on social media about why the US first lady had decided 
to put the Epstein scandal back in the headlines after weeks of relative 
quiet.

It comes just two days after her husband announced a ceasefire in the US-
Israeli war on Iran, which critics say has left the crucial Strait of Hormuz 
still largely shuttered by Tehran.

Melania Trump has long been an elusive and often mysterious presence at the 
White House, who only rarely gives public remarks of the kind she delivered 
on Thursday.

Donald Trump told MS Now that he didn't "know anything about" the statement 
ahead of time.

The last time the first lady was seen with her husband was at an Easter Egg 
Roll with hundreds of children on Monday.