Megyn Kelly Questions Melania Trump's Surprise Epstein Denial
Television host Megyn Kelly has publicly questioned the timing and motivation behind First Lady Melania Trump's unexpected statement denying any links to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. The First Lady delivered a three-minute address at the White House on Thursday, firmly stating: 'I am not Epstein's victim.'
Unexpected White House Statement
Melania Trump's announcement came as a surprise to many observers, particularly since there had been no recent revelations connecting her to Epstein, who authorities say died by suicide while awaiting trial for sex trafficking charges in August 2019. The First Lady used her platform to categorically deny unfounded reports suggesting Epstein introduced her to husband Donald Trump.
'I met my husband by chance at a New York City party in 1998,' she declared during the Thursday afternoon address. 'I've never been friends with Epstein.'
The couple reportedly met that year at the Kit Kat Klub in New York when Melania was 28 years old. Modeling agency boss Paolo Zampolli, who serves as Trump's special envoy for global partnerships, claims to have introduced them. They married in 2005.
Addressing Rumors and Fake Images
During her statement, the First Lady specifically targeted what she called 'mean-spirited' attempts by unnamed individuals to damage her reputation. She flatly denied any relationship with Epstein and criticized the 'numerous fake images' circulating on social media for years depicting her with the disgraced financier.
She also clarified an email she wrote to Epstein's accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, explaining she only wrote to be polite and that the message didn't indicate any close relationship between them.
Kelly's Public Criticism
On Friday, Megyn Kelly challenged the First Lady's decision during her show, The Megyn Kelly Show, questioning why she would bring attention back to the Epstein controversy.
'Why did she do this? That's really what everyone was asking,' Kelly stated. 'Everyone knows in PR, once the storm has passed, you don't do anything to bring it back upon you.'
Kelly continued her critique: 'If she doesn't want people talking about her relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, or whatever it was with Epstein, then she shouldn't talk about her relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell or Jeffrey Epstein.'
The host noted the current news cycle is dominated by Iran-related coverage, asking: 'Especially when - has that been in the news? Have any of you been seeing that in the news? The news right now is non-stop Iran.'
Trump's Response to His Wife's Statement
President Donald Trump offered his perspective on the First Lady's decision, telling The New York Times he might have handled the situation differently but supported her right to speak.
'Would I have done it that way? Perhaps not, perhaps, I don't know,' he admitted. 'I said, "If you want to do that, you can do that."'
Trump explained that his wife 'finds it very insulting' that rumors circulated suggesting she was a victim of Epstein or friendly with Maxwell. 'She didn't meet me through Jeffrey Epstein. And I could understand her feelings,' he added.
The President revealed they discussed the potential speech for only about two minutes, describing it as 'not a big discussion.' He expressed no concern about the statement bringing the Epstein story back into news coverage, stating simply: 'I never get upset.'
Trump concluded: 'I thought she actually did a good job... I thought she had a right to talk about it. It doesn't bother me.'
The Daily Mail has approached the White House for additional comment on the matter.
