Washington, April 9, (dpa/GNA) – US First Lady Melania Trump, has denied having a close relationship with the late convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said during a specially convened press statement at the White House on Thursday.
“I have never been friends with Epstein,” the first lady said, adding that she had never visited Epstein’s private island or travelled on any of his aircraft.
“Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false.”
It was not immediately clear what prompted the statement, and she did not take questions from journalists.
Trump said she and the president had occasionally attended the same parties as Epstein, attributing this to “overlapping” social circles in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, the location of the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
She said false allegations about her must stop immediately and added, that she would pursue legal action with her lawyers.
The first lady also called on members of Congress to investigate the broader case against the financier, who died in a New York prison in 2019, while awaiting trial for sex trafficking. Authorities said he died by suicide.
“Epstein was not alone,” she said. “Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.”
She continued, “I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing, specifically centered around the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress, with the power of sworn testimony.”
Epstein’s extensive connections among political and business elites, have fuelled speculation about the scope of the scandal and the involvement of prominent figures.
Last year, after prolonged resistance from President Donald Trump, Congress forced the Department of Justice to begin releasing tranches of documents and photographs, related years of investigations.
President Trump was among the high-profile figures who associated with Epstein in the 1990s and early 2000s. There is however no evidence linking him to Epstein’s criminal activities, and the president has said he was not “friendly with Jeffrey Epstein.”
GNA