In an update now one saw coming in the Jeffrey Epstein case, US First Lady Melania Trump made an out-of-the-blue announcement on Thursday, denying her close links or 'relationship' with the financer and sex offender.
There had reportedly been no indication earlier from her office that she would speak on the matter, and the White House had not listed the topic in its daily schedule. Even President Donald Trump later said he did not know about his wife's remarks in advance.
During her statement, Melania Trump claimed that she had only briefly crossed paths with Epstein in 2000 and never been one of his victims.
"I have never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach," she said in the briefing.
The First Lady also denied having any links with Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving prison time for her role in Epstein's trafficking operation.
Referring to a past email exchange with Maxwell, which caught media and netizens' attention, Melania reduced it as nothing more than "casual correspondence". "My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a trivial note," she said.
An email exchange that appears to be between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell in image released by U.S. Justice Department. Reuters photo
She further rejected rumours circulating online that Epstein had introduced her to Donald Trump, saying that such claims were "mean-spirited attempts to defame her reputation."
Melania Trump left without taking any questions from reporters after her remarks.
'I did nothing wrong': Bill Clinton denies wrongdoing at grilling on Epstein filesMeanwhile, another claim doing the rounds online has also been debunked. A viral image falsely attributed to Emmanuel Macron claimed to show Epstein and Melania Trump kissing. However, international media outlets pointed out that the picture had been digitally altered and was never posted or shared by the President of France.
In her recent statement, she noted that the internet had rumours and visuals linking her with Epstein. In this regard, she said, "Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been circulating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false."