Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have criticised first lady Melania Trump after she made a surprise call for a public hearing. The group said the burden should not be placed back on victims and argued that they have already done their part.
The response came after Melania Trump said a public hearing should be held for survivors. In reply, the survivors reiterated their call for Pam Bondi to be questioned instead.
The dispute adds another layer to the continuing fallout around Epstein’s abuse and the public discussion over how those who were harmed should be involved in any formal proceedings. The survivors’ statement made clear that they reject the idea that they should be asked again to carry the responsibility for moving the issue forward.
The criticism focused on what they described as a shift in burden onto victims. By pressing for Bondi to be questioned, the group signalled that attention should remain on officials and decision-makers rather than on survivors themselves.
In the same live coverage, Donald Trump posted a brief and cryptic message on Truth Social that appeared to refer to upcoming negotiations in Islamabad, although the meaning was not clear. He wrote: “WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL RESET!!!”
The post did not explain the message further, and its connection to the negotiations remained uncertain.
The developments come amid a busy political news day in the United States, with the Epstein dispute and Trump’s social media message drawing attention in separate parts of the live blog.
