Image: from SABC News X@SABCNews
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
Thursday, April 9, 2026
WASHINGTON — In a rare and striking intervention, First Lady Melania Trump took to the Grand Foyer of the White House on Thursday to forcefully deny longstanding allegations linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
The 55-year-old First Lady, usually a reserved presence in her husband’s second administration, delivered a five-minute televised statement intended to “end the lies” once and for all. The address comes as the Trump administration attempts to move past the political fallout from millions of pages of newly released “Epstein Files” that have roiled Washington for months.
“I Am Not a Victim”
Standing before the presidential seal, Melania Trump dismissed social media speculation and rumors that she was introduced to Donald Trump through Epstein’s circle.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “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.”
The First Lady acknowledged that while she and the President had overlapped with Epstein and Maxwell in social circles in New York and Palm Beach, she had “never had a relationship” with them. She characterized a 2002 email to Maxwell, recently released by the Department of Justice, as “trivial” and nothing more than “casual correspondence.”
US First Lady Melania Trump denies ever having a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and says claims around it are defamatory.
In a rare address from the White House, Melania Trump said she was "not Epstein's victim" and denied he ever introduced her to Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/8ktNdAIiX3
— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) April 9, 2026
A Call for Public Hearings
In a move that caught many in the West Wing by surprise, Melania Trump pivoted from her personal defense to a call for legislative action. She urged Congress to hold public hearings specifically for the survivors of Epstein’s abuse.
“Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress,” she said, arguing that the survivors deserve a permanent place in the congressional record to ensure full transparency.
The Shadow of the “Epstein Files”
The First Lady’s statement arrives at a volatile moment for the administration:
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The Transparency Act: In late 2025, President Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act after months of initial resistance. The subsequent release of over three million documents by the DOJ in January 2026 has kept the scandal in the headlines.
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The Iran Crisis: The address also follows a week of intense military focus on the U.S.-Iran conflict, which many observers believed would finally push the Epstein story out of the news cycle.
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Legal Fallout: The DOJ recently confirmed that former Attorney General Pam Bondi would not appear for a subpoena regarding her handling of the Epstein documents, further fueling partisan tension on Capitol Hill.
Reaction from Survivors
Two prominent accusers, sisters Maria and Annie Farmer, responded to the First Lady’s remarks with a call for even more transparency. While they did not comment directly on her personal denial, they demanded the release of all remaining FBI records from the 1990s.
“We want accountability, transparency, and justice,” the sisters said in a joint statement.
While Melania Trump’s address was aimed at clearing her name, political analysts suggest the move may inadvertently re-center the Epstein scandal just as the White House sought to pivot toward foreign policy and the upcoming 2026 midterm cycle.