Overview
- Melania Trump delivered a rare statement at the White House on Thursday denying any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell and calling for a public hearing where survivors testify under oath.
- She addressed a Justice Department document that includes a 2002 email signed “Love, Melania” to “G,” which she described as casual correspondence that did not signal a relationship.
- President Donald Trump said after the remarks that he did not know in advance about his wife's statement, and multiple reports said some White House staff were caught off guard.
- Reaction quickly split, with Rep. Robert Garcia urging House Oversight Chair James Comer to schedule a public hearing, while a group of Epstein survivors criticized shifting the burden back onto victims.
- The first lady highlighted prior legal pushback, citing retractions or apologies from The Daily Beast, James Carville, and HarperCollins UK, while related litigation involving author Michael Wolff remains ongoing.