First lady Melania Trump, in scathing comments at the White House on Thursday, blasted what she described as an array of false claims about her and notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"I am not Epstein's victim," Melania Trump told reporters. "Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump."
"I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims," she said. "I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant."
It was not clear what spurred Melania Trump to comment on Epstein, who was previously a friend of President Trump's. The notification to media on Wednesday that she would make a statement at the White House on Thursday did not indicate what she planned to talk about.
But in her statement, the first lady acknowledged writing an email to Epstein's now-convicted accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell on Oct. 23, 2002, which referenced a New York magazine profile about Epstein.
"Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture," Melania Trump had written Maxwell.
"I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time! Love, Melania," she wrote.
The first lady said on Thursday said that the first time "I crossed paths with Epstein" was in 2000 at an event where she was with now-President Trump.
"At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings," Melania Trump said.
"Fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now," she said. "Be cautious about what you believe: These images and stories are completely false."
"I'm not a witness or a named witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes," the first lady said.
"My name has never appeared in court documents .. victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter," she said.
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