Melania Trump Denies Relationship with Jeffrey Epstein in Public Statement

By Robert Mackey

*Published: 2026-04-10*

Melania Trump issued a statement on Thursday denying any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died in 2019 while facing sex-trafficking charges. The first lady described her acquaintance with Epstein as limited, stating that she and her husband, President Donald Trump, had been "invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time" due to overlapping social circles. The remarks responded to allegations in a recent book by author Michael Wolff, who claimed Epstein had introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump.

The statement, delivered as the White House navigated an escalating conflict with Iran, prompted questions from reporters about its timing and whether President Trump had prior knowledge of his wife's plans.

Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich told viewers that her team was working to determine the reasons behind the statement's release. "We’ve been trying to understand why she made it today, if there was something that she is reacting to that might already be in the news that has upset her, or if there’s a story that’s yet to come out, that’s about to drop that she wanted to get ahead of," Heinrich said. She added that the announcement appeared unexpected and that she had contacted numerous sources, including the president, without receiving explanations.

The New York Post reported that the timing was unclear, noting it occurred as the White House sought to shift focus from Epstein-related matters during Trump's second term. Marc Beckman, a senior adviser to the first lady, told the Post that she spoke out because "enough is enough." He added, "The lies must stop. It is time for the public and media to focus on her incredible achievements as first lady, the lives she has positively impacted, and her commitment to our nation."

The remarks came amid ongoing attention to Epstein documents released by the U.S. Justice Department in January, including a partially redacted 2002 email exchange between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's associate who was convicted in 2021 on sex-trafficking charges. In the October 2002 email, Melania Trump praised a New York magazine profile of Epstein that had appeared that week, calling it a "Nice story" and signing off with "Love, Melania." Maxwell's reply began with "Sweet pea." Melania Trump referred to the exchange in her statement as "trivial."

That New York magazine profile included a quote from Donald Trump describing Epstein as "a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it – Jeffrey enjoys his social life."

These interactions occurred between 2000 and 2002, years before Epstein's first legal troubles surfaced publicly. Epstein did not face criminal charges until 2005, culminating in a 2008 plea deal in Florida.

Melania Trump was photographed with Epstein at a 2000 party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Three weeks after the email exchange, on November 11, 2002, she was photographed again with Maxwell, Donald Trump, and model Naomi Campbell at a Dolce & Gabbana event in New York.

In her statement, read aloud to reporters, Melania Trump emphasized that she "never had a relationship" with Epstein.

Reporters sought clarification on President Trump's awareness of the statement. An MSNBC host reported speaking by phone with Trump shortly after the announcement, during which he said he did not "know anything about" it beforehand. Trump added, "She didn’t know him," apparently referring to Epstein, before ending the call.

An unnamed spokesperson for the first lady told The New York Times that the president had been informed of her plans to make a statement. That report was later updated to reflect the spokesperson saying it was unclear whether Trump knew the statement's specific content.

The Epstein case has drawn renewed scrutiny in 2026 following the Justice Department's release of additional documents, including the 2002 emails. Epstein and Trump were known to have socialized for nearly two decades before Epstein's 2019 arrest. Maxwell, who died in prison in 2025 while appealing her conviction, was sentenced to 20 years in 2022.

Melania Trump's comments addressed Wolff's claims directly, which had resurfaced alongside the document releases. Wolff's book alleged that Epstein played a role in introducing the Trumps, a contention the first lady rejected outright.

As questions persisted about the statement's origins, White House officials did not provide further details by Thursday evening. The announcement unfolded against the backdrop of intensifying U.S. military involvement in the Middle East, where Iran-related developments dominated official briefings.

(Word count: 782)