Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17757798537021775779851976.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"></span></span></span></div><p>Former First Lady Melania Trump, January 20, 2021. Alex Edelman, AFP/File  </p><div><br/></div><p>US First Lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein&#x27;s abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.</p><p>The 55-year-old&#x27;s rare on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the blue, in an extraordinary intervention in a scandal that has long haunted her husband President Donald Trump.</p><p>&quot;The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,&quot; she said. &quot;The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/2/6/the-global-maelstrom-whipped-up-by-the-epstein-files-0758">The global maelstrom whipped up by the Epstein files</a></div><p>It was not clear why the Slovenian-born former model decided to give the public statement, and she did not detail any specific allegations about her and the late, convicted sex offender.</p><p>Melania and Donald Trump had previously been photographed with Epstein, but she said that she had met her husband independently two years prior to meeting Epstein.</p><p>&quot;I am not Epstein&#x27;s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,&quot; Melania Trump said.</p><p>She said &quot;fake images and statements about Epstein and me&quot; had been circulating on social media &quot;for years now. Be cautious about what you believe: these images and stories are completely false.&quot;</p><p>The first lady also urged Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors of Epstein&#x27;s abuse to &quot;give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath.&quot;</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pHmvLm9XBhw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Epstein died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors, but the scandal has repeatedly overshadowed Trump&#x27;s second presidency.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/8/bill-gates-to-testify-in-front-of-us-house-panel-on-jeffrey-epstein-1003">Bill Gates to testify in front of US House panel on Jeffrey Epstein</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;EPSTEIN&#x27;S ABUSE&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The US Justice Department has over the past year released huge tranches of files related to Epstein. Trump, 79, has also denied any link to Epstein&#x27;s crimes.</p><p>One widely-seen picture in the files showed Donald and Melania Trump at their Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida along with Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.</p><p>&quot;I have never had any knowledge of Epstein&#x27;s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. Was never on Epstein&#x27;s plane, and never visited his private island,&quot; Melania Trump said.</p><p>&quot;I have never been legally accused or convinced of a crime in connection with Epstein sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior.&quot;</p><p>Speculation ran riot on social media about why the US first lady had decided to put the Epstein scandal back in the headlines after weeks of relative quiet.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/1/31/us-justice-dept-releases-documents-images-videos-from-epstein-files-1359">Epstein survivors say abusers &#x27;remain hidden&#x27; after latest files release</a></div><p>It comes just two days after her husband announced a<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/10/us-to-host-israel-lebanon-talks-as-strikes-threaten-iran-ceasefire-0805"> ceasefire in the US-Israeli war on Iran</a>, which critics say has left the crucial <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/4/10/trump-warns-iran-against-tolls-for-hormuz-shipping-0758">Strait of Hormuz</a> still largely shuttered by Tehran.</p><p>But Melania Trump has long been an elusive and often mysterious presence at the White House, who only rarely gives public remarks of the kind she delivered on Thursday.</p><p>The last time she was seen with her husband was at an Easter Egg Roll with hundreds of children on Monday.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xJmtL9RLseo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Nx5Qm_IRu9Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>US First Lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.</p>

US First Lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.

Melania Trump blasts 'lies' linking her to Epstein

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Melania Trump blasts 'lies' linking her to Epstein

Agence France-Presse

Published April 10, 2026 08:13 AM PHT

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Updated April 10, 2026 08:14 AM PHT

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