If Melania Trump wanted people not to put her and Jeffery Epstein’s names in the same sentence, she failed miserably.
The first lady surprised the nation—and reportedly much of the White House—on April 9 when she delivered a public statement about her relationship with the convicted sex offender.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice [Ghislaine] Maxwell,” Trump said.
“The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect,” she continued, though to whom she was referring was unclear. “I do not object to their ignorance, but rather, I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”
If the first lady’s associations with Epstein had recently reentered the headlines, her speech might have been understandable. But instead, her statement left many scratching their heads and pointing at her and her husband’s proven connections to Epstein, particularly the two men’s friendship in the 1990s.
It also brought renewed attention to the infamous birthday message and lewd drawing allegedly left for Epstein by Donald Trump in 2003, which read, “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” The president has denied writing the message and sued The Wall Street Journal’s parent company for defamation after the outlet reported on the letter.
“I have never been friends with Epstein,” Melania Trump said. “Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.”
The speech generated new scrutiny of Trump’s history with Epstein and his associates. Google Trends shows that searches for “Melania Trump Jeffrey Epstein” spiked afterward, reaching an all-time peak.
The speech was reportedly a rogue move by the first lady. In a brief phone call with MS NOW, the president said he didn’t know about his wife’s statement ahead of time, adding that “she didn’t know [Epstein].” A White House official stated that many staffers were also surprised by the speech.
Emails with Ghislaine Maxwell
In her statement, Melania Trump gave special attention to her relationship with Epstein’s former partner, convicted child sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, apparently referencing emails she and Maxwell exchanged between 2002 and 2003.
“My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence,” the first lady said. “My polite reply to her email doesn’t amount to anything more than a trivial note.”
Though Trump referred to her own message to Maxwell as a “reply” multiple times, based on her greeting, it appears she initiated the exchange.
“Dear G! How are you?” one email read. “I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time! Love, Melania.”
Maxwell replied, calling Trump “sweet pea” and writing, “I still do not think I have time to see you sadly. I will try and call though.” Maxwell signed her email, “Gx.”
A call to action
In a rare reach across the aisle, Trump closed her speech with a statement echoing what Democrats have long advocated for: “Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said, asking for a public Congressional hearing for Epstein’s victims.
“Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional Record,” she continued. “Then, and only then, will we have the truth.”