Melania Trump says she's "never been friends with Epstein" in rare address
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First lady Melania Trump delivers a statement at the Grand Foyer of the White House on April 9. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
First lady Melania Trump denied that she had a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or that she had any ties to his crimes in a head-turning White House address Thursday.
The big picture: The administration's handling of the Epstein files — and the president's ties to the disgraced financier — have become a months-long headache for the administration.
Driving the news: "The false smears about me from mean spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities, looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop," she said at the White House.
- "I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," she said, adding she first "crossed paths" with Epstein at an event she attended with Trump in 2000.
- The first lady's speech also addressed an email she sent to Ghislaine Maxwell that she said could not be "categorized as anything more than casual correspondence."
- She did not elaborate, but the statement was perhaps a reference to one of the tranche of messages released by the Justice Department that was signed "Love, Melania."
State of play: The first lady and her team are very protective of her brand, and she's has been eager to speak out against online rumors about her ties to Epstein, according to people familiar with her thinking.
- Her legal team typically has taken the lead in combating the rumors, but Thursday's statement signaled that she now feels a need to speak out herself.
The first lady's legal team has spent months going after outlets that have asserted there was a link between Melania Trump and Epstein.
- Last year, after threats from the first lady's lawyers, the Daily Beast retracted a story highlighting claims by author Michael Wolff that Epstein had introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump. The outlet also issued an apology "for any confusion or misunderstanding."
Zoom out: The first lady's comments Thursday come as the fallout over the Epstein files continues to fuel calls for oversight on Capitol Hill. This week, former Attorney General Pam Bondi sparked frustration by defying a subpoena to appear before a House committee to discuss her handling of the files.
- The first lady called for Epstein's victims to have the opportunity to testify under oath before Congress.
- She did not answer any questions shouted by reporters as she left.
Go deeper: Why the Epstein scandal may never die.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with details on actions by Melania Trump's legal team.
