First Lady Melania Trump, straight up, denied any links to Jeffrey Epstein in a shocking press briefing at the White House on Thursday. She said, “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” adding that she had no knowledge of Epstein’s criminal undertakings.
Melania Trump also said she “rejects the mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.” After Melania’s session, the question that was on everyone’s mind was about the timing of the statement and the First Lady’s top advisor, Marc Beckman, elaborated on that in his latest set of interviews.
“She set the record straight.”
Melania Trump Senior Advisor Marc Beckman says the First Lady wasn’t just defending herself with her Epstein announcement — she was supporting victims and calling on lawmakers to take action. pic.twitter.com/YAvUtdelLx
— Fox News (@FoxNews) April 10, 2026
The Senior Advisor was asked by Fox & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt about the timing of the statement. “People are questioning the timing of this,” she said. Beckman appeared to dodge the question, saying, “First, enough is enough. This has been ongoing and it’s time for the public to refocus their attention on what achievements our first lady has done. She’s helping people over and over again. Americans are benefiting from her efforts. People in the foster care community, people from an educational perspective.”
He went on to list Melania Trump’s “achievements” in response to the timing question, stating, “Her achievements have been so wide. You have covered them here. Whether it’s international with the Ukrainian and Russian reunifications and beyond. We want to focus the attention on her good work and what she has accomplished as first lady of the United States.”
He continued during the interview, “We as a society need to get back to respect, and certainly, our first lady, the first lady of the United States, deserves respect. When she’s out there working every single day for Americans, helping children, helping families, driving to make this country better, that’s what she deserves for people to pay attention to, not this nonsense. Just lies and innuendos.”
First Lady Melania Trump’s Statement pic.twitter.com/juyoDgi2QR
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) April 10, 2026
Melania’s Senior Advisor was pressed for an answer again, with the host asking, “What was happening behind the scenes that made her say, ‘I want to have this public statement out there?’” He finally replied, “Like, think about it, all day long, lies and innuendos are coming through the media about the First Lady, and she just wanted to set the record straight.”
“If she can’t stick up for herself, if she can’t defend herself and make sure that her reputation is impeccable, who will do it? Nobody’s done it to date. All of this has been politicized. It’s been dragged through the media, and she’s ready to fight. She’s fought for herself,” he added.
First Lady Melania Trump’s Statement pic.twitter.com/fSEz24NEyg
— First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) April 9, 2026
Breaking her long silence on Epstein Files, Melania Trump clarified that she has “never been friends with Epstein” and she mentioned that she and President Donald Trump “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.”
Multiple reports have alleged for decades that, back when she was a model, Melania was introduced to a then-real estate developer and businessman, Donald Trump, by Jeffrey Epstein. She mentioned during the press briefing that this wasn’t the case and that the two actually met at a party in New York, circa 1998.
“I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998. This initial encounter with my husband is documented in detail in my book, MELANIA,” the First Lady said during Thursday’s televised press briefing.
Melania Trump ended the session calling on Congress to “provide the women who have been victimised by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centred around the survivors.” She walked away when journalists stationed there posed questions.
