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U.S. First Lady Melania Trump on Thursday firmly denied any personal or professional connection to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, calling circulating claims "false" and damaging to her reputation.
Speaking during a rare public appearance at the White House, Trump addressed long-running speculation linking her to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. She
stated unequivocally that she had never maintained a relationship with either individual and dismissed the allegations as fabrications.
"The lies linking me with Jeffrey Epstein need to end," she said, emphasizing that she was neither involved in nor aware of any of Epstein's criminal activities. Trump added that any suggestion otherwise was defamatory and misleading.
She further clarified that her only encounter with Epstein occurred briefly at a social event in 2000, where she attended alongside her future husband, Donald Trump. According to her account, she had no prior knowledge of Epstein at the time and did not interact with him beyond that occasion.
Addressing online speculation, the first lady warned against misinformation გავრცელ across social media platforms. She described widely shared images and narratives tying her to Epstein as entirely fabricated, urging the public to scrutinize such content carefully.
"I was never involved in any capacity," she said. "I am not a witness, a participant, or connected in any way to his crimes."
Epstein, who faced federal charges related to sex trafficking of minors, was arrested in 2019 and later died in custody. His death, ruled a suicide, intensified public scrutiny over his network of high-profile acquaintances and alleged enablers.
Trump also stressed that her name has never appeared in legal proceedings, victim statements, or investigative records related to the case. She reiterated that she had no knowledge of Epstein's actions or associations during the period in question.
Her remarks come amid renewed public interest in Epstein-related files and ongoing discussions about accountability among prominent figures previously linked to him.
