- First Lady Melania Trump emphatically denied any connection to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a surprise televised address from the White House, SAYING she had no knowledge of his abuse.
- She condemned what she called “unfounded and baseless lies” and “false smears” against her, clarifying that she only had “casual correspondence” with Ghislaine Maxwell due to overlapping social circles.
- In response, more than a dozen Epstein survivors accused her of “shifting the burden” onto them and reiterated their calls for the Department of Justice to release the remaining Epstein files.
- The timing of her remarks surprised many, including White House officials and media, leading to speculation about her motivations, with some suggesting she was getting ahead of a potential story.
- Congressional reactions varied, with Congressman Suhas Subramanyam suggesting she should testify under oath to clear her name, while Congressman Robert Garcia agreed with her call for a public hearing with survivors.
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