Melania Trump denies any ties to Jeffrey Epstein, calls for victims’ hearing 

Washington (Web Desk): US First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday firmly dismissed allegations linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling the claims false and damaging to her reputation.
Speaking publicly from the White House in an unusual appearance, she said the accusations had crossed a line and must stop.

She emphasised that she never had any form of personal association with Epstein or his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell, adding that her only interaction with Maxwell was limited to occasional, casual exchanges.

Melania explained that she and her husband, Donald Trump, had sometimes attended the same social gatherings as Epstein, noting that such overlap was common among high-profile circles in places like New York City and Palm Beach.

However, she made it clear that being present at similar events did not mean there was any relationship. She also rejected claims that Epstein had introduced her to Donald Trump, stating that she met her future husband by coincidence at a New York party in 1998.

She went on to underline that she was not one of Epstein’s victims and urged lawmakers to ensure that those who were affected are given an opportunity to speak publicly, stressing the need to focus on survivors.

Epstein’s connections with influential figures have remained under scrutiny for years, particularly after his 2008 conviction on charges related to prostitution, including involving a minor, and his subsequent arrest in 2019 on federal charges of trafficking underage girls. He died later that year in a jail cell in Manhattan, with authorities ruling his death a suicide.

The matter has continued to pose political challenges for President Trump, especially as renewed attention on Epstein followed the administration’s decision to have the Justice Department release documents tied to earlier investigations in line with a transparency law approved by Congress.

Among the materials made public was a 2002 email in which Melania Trump responded to Maxwell regarding a magazine article about Epstein.

Addressing that message, she described it as nothing more than a routine and courteous reply, insisting it should not be interpreted as evidence of any meaningful connection.