Melania Trump has denied any significant ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, describing any contact as “casual”.
Speaking at the White House, she rejected allegations linking her to Epstein, saying: “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.”
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect”, she added.
Trump said she had never been friends with Epstein, though she acknowledged attending some of the same social events.
“I have never been friends with Epstein,” she said, noting that she and Donald Trump crossed paths with him “from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.”
Addressing a 2002 email exchange with Maxwell that appears in the Epstein files, she said: “My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note.”
She added that the message “cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence.”
She also dismissed online speculation and rumours: “I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,” she said.
She called for greater transparency for victims, saying: “Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record.”
The White House said the president was not aware of her statement beforehand.
