Epstein survivors have criticised Melania Trump after the first lady made an unexpected call for a public hearing involving survivors. In response, a group of those affected said they have already “done their part” and repeated their demand that Pam Bondi be questioned.
The exchange adds another layer to the continuing political debate around the Jeffrey Epstein case and the way it has been discussed publicly by figures linked to the Trump administration.
Survivors push back
The survivors’ reaction was direct: they said they had already contributed enough and did not accept the implication that further public appearances were needed from them. Their statement came after Melania Trump called for a public hearing for survivors.
They also renewed their call for Pam Bondi to be questioned. The source does not provide additional details about the proposed hearing or explain what role Bondi would play in it.
Separate controversy over Medicaid figures
Elsewhere in the live politics coverage, Donald Trump’s administration said this week that it had made a significant error in the figures it used to support a fraud probe into New York’s Medicaid program.
According to the report, the error was one of at least a few misrepresentations in the administration’s description of the program. Health analysts said the mistake raised questions about how many of the Republican administration’s broader anti-fraud efforts across the country were based on faulty findings.
The Associated Press reported on the issue, which has fuelled concern about the accuracy of the figures used to justify the Medicaid investigation. The source does not say how the administration plans to respond beyond acknowledging the mistake.
The live coverage continues to track both the political fallout around Epstein-related comments and the wider scrutiny facing the administration over its handling of fraud-related claims.
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