Why Melania Trump is denying alleged smears related to Jeffrey Epstein–and wants victims to testify
It was, and I don't say this lightly, a jaw-dropping moment.
I'm sitting here with the TV on and all of a sudden there's a live shot of Melania Trump, reading a speech at the White House.
A speech about Jeffrey Epstein. A speech about how she's being smeared in connection with the late pedophile.
None of the journalists knew what to say. The first lady, talking about Epstein. Reporters were told she would be making remarks, but not the subject matter. Only that it would be newsy.
"I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence. My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a travel note. 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," the first lady said in her speech.
There was pain in her voice. The three-minute speech, read in her accented English, was not easy for her.
When the Epstein files were released, there was correspondence between Maxwell, who called her "Sweet pea," and Melania signed hers "Love." Hardly a big deal.
I didn't know there were any rumors about Melania Trump and Epstein. It seemed clear that the first lady was trying to get out ahead of something — but what?
This had the feeling of the tip of an iceberg.
They first crossed paths in 2000: "I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings. Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been calculating [circulating]on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false."
Epstein pleaded guilty to sexual abuse in 2008 and served an absurdly light sentence of 13 months in Florida. And Donald Trump knew of his relationship with underage girls, having called Palm Beach authorities about it back in 2006.
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Still, Melania said, "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. Was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island. I have never been legally accused or convinced [convicted] of a crime in connection with Epstein. Sex trafficking, abuse of minors and other repulsive behavior. The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name, to gain financially and climb politically, must stop."
She added that she and her lawyers "have fought these unfounded and baseless lies with success."
The New York Times reaction: "It was not clear why she chose to speak out now, or to what reports she was referring."
NBC’s Garrett Haake tweeted that the speech was "breathing new life into the Epstein saga."
By the way, it was not a news conference, as the Washington Post and other outlets kept calling it. She took no questions.
The first lady’s senior adviser, Marc Beckman, said in a statement noted by NBC that she is speaking out now because "enough is enough" and "the lies must stop."
Needless to say, this catapults the story right back into the media narrative — and at a time when it finally seemed to be fading as the country's attention is riveted on the Iran war and the shaky ceasefire.
Rep. Robert Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said he agrees with the first lady and wants to "schedule a public hearing immediately."
The Republican chairman, James Comer, who recently subpoenaed Hillary Clinton to testify about Epstein, canceled a scheduled deposition with Pam Bondi after she was fired as attorney general.
When Bondi testified at a disastrous hearing, she spent her time attacking the Democrats and refused to turn around and look at the victims seated behind her.
Todd Blanche, her likely successor and now acting attorney general, has said there is no need for DOJ to do anything further on Epstein. Blanche, who interviewed Epstein's convicted enabler, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later transferred to a less restrictive prison, has also proclaimed his love for the president.
But the last thing Donald Trump wants is a renewed media spotlight on Epstein's victims.
So there is clearly some kind of distancing going on.
What remains hazy is why Melania Trump decided to deliver this speech at the White House rather than, say, putting out a statement.
Is there an accusation, true or false, that she is trying to preempt? There is much we still don't know.
But like everyone else who was watching, or has since seen the clips, I view it as a stunning moment in an administration that serves them up with amazing regularity.