(CNN) — First lady Melania Trump blasted “lies linking me to the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein” in extraordinary and rare remarks from the White House Thursday, attempting to distance herself from the convicted sex offender while calling on Congress to hold public hearings allowing his victims to testify on Capitol Hill.
That call for action directly undercut ongoing messaging from her husband and the West Wing, renewing attention on a topic that was fading from public discourse amid the war with Iran. President Donald Trump and his top lieutenants have sought to downplay Epstein and his victims, repeatedly and publicly stating that the country is ready to move on.
Donald Trump was aware his wife planned to make Thursday’s statement, a person familiar with the matter said.
“I’ve never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach,” the first lady said in remarks to reporters. “To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell.”
She called on Congress to provide a forum for Epstein’s victims to testify on Capitol Hill.
“I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors, give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony,” Trump said.
“Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record.”
Former Attorney General Pamela Bondi, who was fired in part over her handling of the Epstein files, was asked to apologize to Epstein survivors during a February congressional hearing and declined to do so.
Melania Trump also sought to downplay her relationship with Maxwell, Epstein’s associate who was convicted of sex trafficking. CNN had inquired with her office in February about a friendly 2002 email exchange between the two women — which was released as part of a tranche of documents pertaining to the Epstein investigation — but did not receive a response. Trump signed that email, “Love, Melania” and Maxwell responded, calling her “sweet pea.”
On Thursday, Trump characterized the email as “casual” and a “polite reply.”
Several Epstein survivors were surprised to see — if not totally unaware of — Trump’s remarks Thursday. Sources on Capitol Hill echoed that confusion, saying they were unsure what had prompted the first lady’s unusual remarks.
The House Oversight Committee’s top Democrat, Rep. Robert Garcia, said in a statement shortly after: “We agree with First Lady Melania Trump’s call for a public hearing with the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Lady’s request and schedule a public hearing immediately.” CNN has reached out to GOP Rep. James Comer’s office for comment.
One advocate for the victims said that while Trump’s acknowledgement of the harm Epstein wrought was a positive step, they needed legal mechanisms to pursue the truth that wouldn’t harm survivors.
The first lady has never spoken publicly on the issue prior to Thursday’s remarks, ignoring a shouted question about Maxwell during an unrelated event in February. She has, however, filed lawsuits over past efforts to tie her to Epstein, countering what she characterized Thursday as “smears” that were “mean-spirited and politically-motivated.”
Trump has successfully received retractions and apologies from HarperCollins Publishers, Democratic strategist James Carville and The Daily Beast.
She also emphasized Thursday that she was unaware of Epstein’s crimes despite their social connection.
“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. I was never on Epstein’s plane, and never visited his private island,” she said, describing his actions as “repulsive.”
The first lady has kept a relatively low profile in her second term, largely splitting her time between Palm Beach and New York, promoting her eponymous documentary, focusing her efforts on responsible AI use for children, reunifying children allegedly abducted by Russia with their families in Ukraine, and legislation protecting Americans from deepfake and revenge pornography. Her office advised a “statement” from the first lady on Wednesday, but declined to provide any details, with a senior adviser telling the New York Post that the news would “spread internationally.”
Kevin Liptak and Donald Judd contributed to this report.
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