Melania Trump Denies Epstein Ties, Faces Calls To Testify
Melania Trump said on April 9 she never had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell and urged Congress to hear survivors publicly.
Raw Story'Quit the rotten carcass': Analysts say Melania just sent husband a shot across the bow
MS NOWDistraction? Epstein survivor presses for Bondi testimony after Melania Trump remarks
USA TODAYMelania Trump denied Epstein ties. She may still have to testify, eventually.
ABC NewsMelania Trump adviser speaks on what led to her surprise Epstein statement
Overview
On April 9, First Lady Melania Trump said she never had a relationship with Jeffrey Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell and urged Congress to hold public hearings so survivors can testify, she said.
She described an email reply to Maxwell as "casual correspondence," said she first encountered Epstein in 2000 at an event with Trump, and recounted meeting Donald Trump at a Fashion Week party in September 1998.
Marc Beckman said she "spoke out now because enough is enough," while a group of 13 survivors and relatives accused her of "shifting the burden onto survivors," the group said.
Democrats, including Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, urged the first lady to testify under oath, citing the bipartisan precedent of compelling former officials like Hillary Clinton, while Ghislaine Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence.
House dynamics could determine whether she faces a subpoena, with Rep. James Comer endorsing hearings and Rep. Nancy Mace saying she would not be a fair witness, a spokesperson said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources report this story largely neutrally, presenting both Melania Trump's denials and calls for hearings and responses from lawmakers and survivors. Reporting relies on direct quotes, notes timeline/context (DOJ records, photos, emails) and cites opposing statements (Beckman, Rep. Garcia, survivors), avoiding loaded language or one-sided editorial assertions.