10. April 2026

Epstein Survivors Strike Back at Melania Trump After FLOTUS' Surprise Statement

WASHINGTON-- Survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday sharply criticized first lady Melania Trump after she denied any ties to Epstein, accusing her of deflecting attention from ongoing questions surrounding the Justice Department’s handling of records related to the disgraced financier.

In a statement signed by 15 individuals — including two listed as “Jane Doe” — the group said Trump’s remarks risk shifting focus away from accountability efforts tied to former Attorney General Pam Bondi and the government’s compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The survivors said they had “already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony,” and argued that public officials should now meet their own obligations. They contended that the first lady’s comments placed an undue burden on victims “under politicized conditions that protect those with power,” including federal agencies and the Trump administration, which they said has not fully complied with the law mandating the release of Epstein-related documents.

They also directly criticized Bondi, saying she “must answer for withheld files and the exposure of survivors’ identities,” and warned that failures to fully disclose information “continue to put lives at risk while shielding enablers.”

The Justice Department said earlier this week that Bondi will not comply with a subpoena to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, which is investigating the government’s handling of Epstein-related records. Bondi, who was removed from her post earlier this month, had been scheduled to sit for a deposition on April 14.

In remarks delivered Thursday from the White House’s Grand Foyer, Melania Trump forcefully rejected any association with Epstein, calling him “disgraceful” and denying claims that he played any role in introducing her to Donald Trump.

“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect. I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.”

She also addressed a previously disclosed 2002 email she sent to Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime Epstein associate who was later convicted on federal sex trafficking charges. Trump characterized the message — in which she congratulated Maxwell on a New York Magazine article about Epstein and signed off “Love, Melania” — as a “casual” exchange included among documents released under the transparency law.

Both the president and first lady have denied any wrongdoing or connection to Epstein’s criminal activities. Donald Trump, who knew Epstein during his years as a New York real estate developer, has said the two later had a falling out.

The political and legal dispute comes as lawmakers from both parties press for additional disclosures. Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act into law in November, but members of Congress have since accused the administration of failing to fully comply with its provisions.

House Oversight Democrats, joined by Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who introduced the subpoena for Bondi, have called for the former attorney general to be held in contempt of Congress for failing to appear. Separately, some Democrats have urged the committee to seek testimony from the first lady as part of its broader inquiry.

In a letter to Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., the Justice Department argued that because Bondi is no longer serving in the administration, she “can no longer testify in her official capacity,” and therefore is not obligated to comply with the subpoena.

Legal experts note that defying a congressional subpoena can carry consequences, though enforcement often depends on political and procedural considerations. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a sponsor of the transparency law, said in December that future attorneys general must comply with its requirements to release Epstein-related files or risk potential prosecution.

Meanwhile, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has indicated the administration considers its review of Epstein-related matters effectively closed, even as pressure mounts from survivors and lawmakers for further disclosures and accountability.