Melania Trump, the first lady, told reporters on Thursday that she “never had a relationship” with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
She also denied any suggestion that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump. In her remarks, Melania Trump said she was not “Epstein’s victim,” pushing back on the accusations that prompted her to speak publicly.
It was not clear which specific claims led to her response. The first lady delivered her comments from a podium in the same room where Donald Trump addressed the nation about the war in Iran last week.
The remarks came as questions continued around the Trumps’ past links to Epstein, who died before the latest exchange and was previously convicted as a sex offender. Melania Trump’s statement was brief and scripted, but it firmly rejected any personal connection to Epstein or Maxwell.
Her comments added a new flashpoint to an issue that has long drawn public attention. While she did not elaborate further on the accusations, her denial was direct and unambiguous, centering on both her relationship with Epstein and the claim that he played a role in her introduction to Donald Trump.
