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First lady Melania Trump stunned observers on April 9, 2026, when she held an impromptu press conference at the White House to deny any connection to late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein — and to reject rumors that Epstein introduced her to her husband, President Donald Trump.
What Melania Trump Said During Her Rare Public Address
“[The rumors] with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Melania Trump said in a statement to the press on April 9, 2026. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”
The first lady claimed she had “never been friends” with Epstein, who died by suicide in prison in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. (He was previously convicted of soliciting a minor for prostitution.)
She acknowledged that she and husband President Donald Trump “were invited to many of the same parties as Epstein from time to time” but insisted she “never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice [Ghislaine] Maxwell.”
Melania said she first “crossed paths” with Epstein in 2000 at an event she attended with her husband and that she “had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings” at the time. She also acknowledged replying to an email from Maxwell but dismissed it as nothing significant.
“My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note,” she stated. “I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book, Melania.”
She added that “numerous fake images and statements” about her and Epstein have been circulating on social media and warned people to “be cautious about what you believe.”
“I am not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein’s crimes. My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter,” she said.
President Trump Apparently Had No Idea Melania Was Going to Speak Out
Melania Trump’s speech appeared to catch the White House unaware. Following her remarks, MS NOW reported that the outlet had a “brief phone call” with President Donald Trump, who allegedly told them he had no prior knowledge of his wife’s plans to speak out on the topic. The publication alleged that “many” White House staffers were also “caught off guard” by Melania’s impromptu statement.
The president, however, backed his wife’s claims, telling MS NOW, “She didn’t know [him].”
Jeffrey Epstein’s Victims Push Back
Melania Trump’s speech drew a swift response from Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, who took particular issue with a portion where the first lady encouraged victims to give sworn testimony to Congress in a public hearing.
“Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports and giving testimony. Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice,” a statement signed by 15 Epstein survivors read on April 9, 2026. “It also diverts attention from [former Attorney General] Pam Bondi, who must answer for withheld files and the exposure of survivors’ identities.” Their statement concluded, “[Bondi’s] failures continue to put lives at risk while shielding enablers. Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs.”
The survivors also echoed criticisms that the Justice Department’s release of the Epstein files was handled haphazardly, with identifying information left unredacted in some cases and other important documents allegedly never being published at all.
President Donald Trump confirmed on April 2 that Bondi was leaving her role as attorney general to take “a much-needed and important new job in the private sector,” though multiple media outlets reported that she was fired due to the president’s displeasure with her recent job performance.
Jimmy Kimmel Weighs In
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel also weighed in during the April 9, 2026, episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, questioning the timing of Melania Trump’s remarks.
“Why is this happening today?” Kimmel asked, making reference to President Donald Trump’s threats against Iran. “He spent the past six weeks trying to bomb this Epstein story out of the headlines. Two days after the ceasefire, she puts it right back on top.”
Kimmel wondered whether Melania did it on purpose, joking, “She must really hate him. I don’t know how else to explain it.”
He also referenced reports that White House officials were blindsided. “He didn’t know she was going to do it before she did it, which shows you just how smoothly things are running over there,” Kimmel added. “For whatever reason, she didn’t ask [her husband].”
He concluded: “She didn’t give him a heads-up. She just went right out in front of the cameras and fired away.”
Donald Trump Clarifies He Didn’t ‘Recommend’ Melania’s Statement
In an April 10 interview with the New York Times, Donald Trump explained he didn’t suggest for his wife to hold a press conference about Jeffrey Epstein, but was aware it was happening.
“I said, ‘If you want to do that, you can do that.’ I said if she wants to do it — I didn’t recommend it, but … I let it be her, I said, if you want to do it,” Donald, 79, said in an interview with the Times.
He added that he thought Melania “did a good job” while also confirming that his wife did not know Epstein.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
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