First lady Melania Trump denied ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and called for a congressional hearing to allow victims of their abuse to tell their stories.
The first lady made the remarks Thursday during a rare appearance before cameras at the White House, in which she said she was responding to “numerous false images and statements about Epstein and me” on social media, without mentioning specific examples.
“The lies linking me to the infamous Jeffrey Epstein must end today. Those who lie about me lack ethics, humility and respect. I do not reproach your ignorance, but rather I reject your petty attempts to defame my reputation.”Trump declared.
Melania Trump claimed that she “never had a relationship” with Epstein or his partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, with whom she said she only had “informal correspondence” by email.
“I am not a victim of Epstein“, said.
Epstein was arrested in 2019 on federal charges of sex trafficking of minors. According to authorities, he died by suicide in a Manhattan jail cell.
President Donald Trump’s ties to Epstein have dogged the White House for months. The president maintained a friendship with the former financier in the 1990s and early 2000s, but Trump has claimed they became estranged before his crimes came to light.
