Melania Trump has denied any significant relationship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, and described any contact as “incidental”.
Speaking at the White House, he rejected allegations linking himself to Epstein, saying: “I need to put an end today to the lies linking me to the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein.”
“The people who lie about me are devoid of moral standards, humility and respect,” he said.
Trump said she was never friends with Epstein, although she acknowledged attending some similar social events.
“I was never Epstein’s friend,” she said. She said she and Donald Trump came into contact from time to time, as overlapping social circles in New York City and Palm Beach were common.
Addressing a 2002 email exchange with Maxwell that appears in the Epstein files, she said: “My polite response to his email is nothing more than a trivial note.”
He said the messages “cannot be classified as anything more than casual correspondence.”
She also dismissed online speculation and rumors: “I am not a victim of Epstein. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,” she said.
She called for greater transparency for victims, saying: “Each woman should have her own day to tell her story publicly, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently recorded in the Congressional record.”
The White House said the President had no prior knowledge of his statement.
