Overview
- Melania Trump, who spoke from the White House on Thursday, denied any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell and called the claims defamatory.
- She urged Congress to hold a public hearing for Epstein’s survivors with sworn testimony entered into the Congressional Record.
- Survivors and their advocates criticized the remarks, saying they shift the burden back onto victims and deflect from failures by institutions and officials tied to the case.
- Lawmakers reacted in real time, with Democrat Robert Garcia backing a public hearing and House Oversight Chair James Comer saying such a session is possible.
- The controversy follows DOJ releases that include a 2002 email from Melania to Maxwell, which she described as casual, while also stating she never flew on Epstein’s plane, visited his island, or served as a witness in the case.