Melania Trump denies ties to Jeffrey Epstein, calls on Congress to hold a hearing for survivors

In a rare public statement, the first lady said she "never had a relationship" with the late convicted sex offender or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

WASHINGTON — In a rare public statement, first lady Melania Trump said Thursday she "never had a relationship" with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

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In her remarks at the White House, she said numerous "fake images and statements about Epstein and me" have been circulating on social media.

Her statement was brief, but it was notable. The first lady is cautious in her public remarks and with her public image. A number of her aides gathered to watch her statement in the Grand Foyer of the White House, but several of them did not know what she was going to say beforehand.