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US First Lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement on Thursday denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein\u2019s abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.<\/p>\n
The 55-year-old\u2019s rare on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the blue, in an extraordinary intervention in a scandal that has long haunted her husband President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,\u201d she said. \u201cThe individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect.\u201d<\/p>\n It was not clear why the Slovenian-born former model decided to give the public statement, and she did not detail any specific allegations about her and the late, convicted sex offender.<\/p>\n Melania and Donald Trump had previously been photographed with Epstein, but she said that she had met her husband independently two years prior to meeting Epstein.<\/p>\n \u201cI am not Epstein\u2019s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,\u201d Melania said.<\/p>\n She said \u201cfake images and statements about Epstein and me\u201d had been circulating on social media \u201cfor years now. Be cautious about what you believe: these images and stories are completely false\u201d.<\/p>\n The first lady also urged the US Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors of Epstein\u2019s abuse to \u201cgive these victims their opportunity to testify under oath\u201d.<\/p>\n Epstein died<\/a> in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges involving minors, but the scandal has repeatedly overshadowed Trump\u2019s second presidency.<\/p>\n The US Justice Department has over the past year released huge tranches of files related to Epstein. Trump, 79, has also denied any link to Epstein\u2019s crimes.<\/p>\n One widely-seen picture in the files showed Donald and Melania Trump at their Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida along with Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.<\/p>\n \u201cI have never had any knowledge of Epstein\u2019s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant. Was never on Epstein\u2019s plane, and never visited his private island,\u201d Melania Trump said.<\/p>\n \u201cI have never been legally accused or convinced of a crime in connection with Epstein sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n Speculation ran riot on social media about why the US first lady had decided to put the Epstein scandal back in the headlines after weeks of relative quiet.<\/p>\n Melania Trump has long been an elusive and often mysterious presence at the White House, who only rarely gives public remarks of the kind she delivered on Thursday.<\/p>\n The last time she was seen with her husband was at an Easter Egg Roll<\/a> with hundreds of children on Monday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/a>\u2018Epstein\u2019s abuse\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n