First lady Melania Trump denies Epstein ties, disputes 2000 photo showing them together
First lady Melania Trump issued a statement Thursday denying any connection to Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender. A group photo from 2000 shows Trump and Epstein together, which she characterized as a 'fake image.' Trump also called for Congress to hold hearings on the Epstein probe. The Justice Department has released files mentioning President Trump multiple times; he has denied any wrongdoing.
This story is based on reporting from a trusted journalist. The statement and its content are verified; the characterization of the photo and the timing of the statement remain as reported by the source.
Verified
- ✓First lady Melania Trump made a statement denying connection to Jeffrey Epstein. (NPR, Trusted Journalist)
- ✓A group photo from 2000 exists showing Melania Trump and Epstein together. (NPR, Trusted Journalist)
- ✓The Justice Department released Epstein files that mention President Trump multiple times. (NPR, Trusted Journalist)
- ✓Epstein is deceased and was a convicted sex offender. (NPR, Trusted Journalist)
Interpretation
- ~Trump characterized the 2000 photo as a 'fake image.' (Source statement, not independently verified)
- ~Trump's call for Congressional Epstein hearings represents her position on the probe. (NPR characterization of her statement, not independently verified as to her motives)
▸▾Why this is here
- Source
- @npr
- Source type
- Nonprofit Investigative (Tier 1)
- Content type
- Reported
- Confidence
- Corroborated
- Coverage
- 12 of 14 major US outlets
- Published
- April 13, 2026 at 1:54 PM PDT
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