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 surprise statement about her relationship with the convicted sex offender.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Trump said. “I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice [Ghislaine] Maxwell.”
“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 Donald Trump and Epstein’s friendship in the 1990s.
It also brought renewed attention to the infamous birthday message and lewd drawing allegedly left for Epstein by President Trump in 2003, which read, “A pal is a wonderful thing. Happy Birthday—and may every day be another wonderful secret.” President Trump denied writing the message and sued The Wall Street Journal’s parent companies 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.”
