First Lady Melania Trump has strongly denied any relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, calling the claims 'false and damaging'. In a rare speech at the White House, she described her contact with Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell as casual and denied rumors that she knew about Epstein's crimes or visited his private island.
Trump said she first met Epstein in 2000 at an event with Donald Trump and did not know about his criminal activities at that time. She also denied that she met Donald Trump through Epstein.
An email exchange between Trump and Maxwell, released by the US Department of Justice, has brought attention to the issue. In the email, Trump allegedly wrote to Maxwell in 2002, saying 'I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down.' Trump has acknowledged the correspondence but maintains it was nothing more than casual social exchange.
The Epstein case has become a political issue for Donald Trump during his second term, with court records and investigations showing that Jeffrey Epstein had connections with many powerful people in politics, business and finance.
