More than a dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have accused Melania Trump of “shifting the burden” onto victims after she called on Congress to hold public hearings with people who were abused by Epstein.
The reaction came in a statement from 13 survivors, along with the brother and sister of the late Virginia Giuffre, who was one of Epstein’s most prominent accusers. The group said survivors had already done enough by coming forward and participating in the process.
“Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony,” the statement said. “Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility not justice.”
The criticism followed Melania Trump’s public call for Congress to hold hearings with victims of Epstein’s abuse. Survivors said that, rather than placing more demands on them, responsibility should rest elsewhere.
The statement reflects the frustration among survivors who say they have repeatedly been asked to relive traumatic experiences in order to be heard. Their response framed the first lady’s suggestion as a burden placed on victims rather than a meaningful step toward accountability.
Virginia Giuffre, who died earlier this year, was among the best-known figures to speak publicly about Epstein’s abuse. Her siblings joined the survivors in condemning the call for more hearings, aligning themselves with the view that the focus should remain on those responsible for the abuse and on the systems that allowed it to continue.
The dispute comes amid continuing fallout from the Epstein case, which has long drawn scrutiny over how authorities, institutions, and powerful figures responded to allegations of sexual abuse. For the survivors, the latest exchange has revived a familiar concern: that the burden of public accountability is too often placed on victims instead of those accused of wrongdoing.
