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Published 09:24 17 Apr 2026 GMT
President Donald Trump has addressed why First Lady Melania Trump decided to publicly deny any links to Jeffrey Epstein, saying the claims had been weighing on her.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Trump was asked directly about Melania’s statement from the previous week, where she firmly rejected any connection to the disgraced financier. The president made it clear he believed she was justified in speaking out.
"Because the fake news said she did. She had none. I think that’s been proven," Trump said via The Mirror.
The comments come after Melania made a rare and strongly worded statement at the White House, pushing back on claims tying her to Epstein and explaining her limited interaction with him.
Last week, Melania told reporters that any claims linking her to Epstein "need to end today." She explained that she had not been a victim and had only briefly "crossed paths" with him in 2000.
"I have never had any knowledge of Epstein abuse of his victims," she said. "I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant."
She went further, stating: “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “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.”
Her statement came after more than a year of controversy surrounding Epstein, even as attention in Washington had shifted toward the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
Melania also addressed a 2002 email exchange included in the Epstein files, describing it as nothing more than "casual correspondence" and a "polite reply."
The email begins, “Dear G!” and ends “Love, Melania,” while referencing travel and a magazine article about “JE.”
“I know you are very busy flying all over the world,” it says. “How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY.”
“My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note,” Melania said.
Alongside the email, an image recovered from Epstein’s home showed a photograph of Donald Trump, Melania Trump, Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell stored among other pictures.
Melania also denied knowing Maxwell, Epstein’s jailed associate, and pointed out that several individuals and organizations have already had to apologize for what she described as “lies about me,” including a retraction from HarperCollins UK over claims about how she met her husband.
The timing of Melania’s statement has sparked questions, with some noting it came after the administration had seemingly moved past Epstein-related scrutiny.
Still, Trump insisted his wife had every right to respond publicly as speculation continued to circulate.
Her remarks aimed to draw a clear line under the issue, stressing that her contact with Epstein was limited and that claims suggesting otherwise are false.
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