Melania Trump Denies Epstein Ties, Calls for Survivor Hearings

First lady Melania Trump delivered a rare on-camera statement from the White House on April 9, 2026, directly addressing her connections to Jeffrey Epstein and calling on Congress to hold public hearings centered around survivors of his abuse.¹

The statement marked one of the most substantive public remarks Melania Trump has made on the Epstein matter, which has shadowed the Trump administration amid ongoing investigations and document releases.

Melania Trump Denies Friendship With Epstein

In her address, the first lady said, “I have never been friends with Epstein,” and rejected claims that the convicted sex offender introduced her to Donald Trump, stating, “Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.” She said the first time she “crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000, at an event Donald and I attended together,” according to the official text of her statement.¹⁶

Melania Trump also addressed correspondence between herself and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate who was convicted of sex trafficking charges in 2021. She characterized the exchange as “casual,” telling viewers, “My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note.”¹

The first lady then pivoted to a direct appeal to lawmakers, calling on Congress to hold a public hearing that would give victims the opportunity to testify under oath about their experiences.²

Survivors Push Back

The call for hearings drew a swift and critical response from some of Epstein’s survivors. A group of 15 survivors released a joint statement saying the first lady was “shifting the burden onto survivors under politicized conditions that protect those with power,” according to CBS News.³

Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents 27 Epstein survivors, offered a more measured reaction. Allred said she was glad Melania Trump made the statement and that she supports a hearing, but she cautioned that survivors should not be subpoenaed to appear, NBC News reported.⁴

President Trump, for his part, told PBS News correspondent Liz Landers that he was “OK with it” when asked about his wife’s call for congressional hearings. However, Trump added that he found it “a little surprising” that the women “refused to go under oath,” a characterization that drew further criticism from survivor advocates.²

Congressional Response

On Capitol Hill, the statement drew a response from Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee. The following day, April 10, Comer told Fox News’ “America Reports,” “I agree with the first lady and appreciate what she said. We will have hearings,” signaling that formal proceedings could move forward, Reuters reported.⁵

Advocates for transparency have called for public proceedings that would examine the broader network of individuals connected to Epstein, while survivor advocates have warned that any process must prioritize the well-being of victims rather than serve as a venue for political positioning.

Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in a Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by the New York City medical examiner. Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five federal counts, including sex trafficking of a minor, and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The release of thousands of pages of Epstein-related documents over the past two years has fueled renewed public interest in the case and intensified scrutiny of public figures whose names appeared in flight logs, deposition transcripts, and other records.

References

1. NPR — “Melania Trump Addresses Jeffrey Epstein Connections in White House Statement”

2. PBS News — “Trump Says He’s ‘OK With’ Epstein Hearings After Melania’s Call to Congress”

3. CBS News — “Epstein Survivors Push Back on Melania Trump’s Call for Public Hearings”

4. NBC News — “Melania Trump Denies Ties to Epstein, Calls on Congress to Hold Hearing”

5. Reuters (via WTAQ) — “US House Oversight chair vows hearings with Epstein victims after Melania Trump’s speech”

6. The White House — “First Lady Melania Trump’s Statement”