In a rare public address from the White House, First Lady Melania Trump today denied allegations she had a close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. White House Correspondent Liz Landers reports.
Geoff Bennett:
In a rare public address from the White House, first lady Melania Trump today denied allegations she had a close relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Our White House correspondent, Liz Landers, joins us now with more.
So, Liz, what did the first lady say?
Liz Landers:
This was an extraordinary statement from a first lady that we rarely see have this kind of public statement. She spoke for just six minutes or so from the Grand Foyer there in the White House.
And she distanced herself from Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell. Listen to some of what she said.
Melania Trump, First Lady:
I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant, was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island.
Liz Landers:
She pushed back on what she says are numerous fake images and statements about her relationship with Epstein. There is one real photograph of Melania and Donald Trump photographed together with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
And, also, the Department of Justice released an e-mail exchange between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell. She said that that e-mail should not be considered anything more than a trivial note. And I should add, Geoff, that Melania Trump has never been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
Geoff Bennett:
What about the timing, though? Why is this happening now?
Liz Landers:
I reached out to the first lady’s office to ask them this. We did not hear back from them.
President Trump himself was asked by an MS NOW reporter if he knew about this. He said he didn’t know anything about the statement prior to it happening, which is also rather extraordinary. We don’t know what prompted the first lady’s statement today.
However, the first lady and the journalist Michael Wolff have been involved in a legal back-and-forth over some reporting that he has said about her and Epstein. Melania Trump’s lawyer sent him a letter to demand that he retract and apologize for linking Melania to Epstein. In response, he sued her last year, saying that she was threatening to file a billion-dollar lawsuit against him in an attempt to intimidate him.
Geoff Bennett:
OK, Liz Landers, our thanks to you, as always.
Liz Landers:
Of course.
