A group of women who say they survived abuse by Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday, April 9, issued a statement describing what is supposed to be done, just a few hours after First Lady Melania Trump’s surprise White House statement.
Melania firmly denied any close ties to the late sexual offender and urged Congress to hold public hearings for victims.
The first lady’s remarks came at the time when most Americans were questioning Epstein’s network of powerful associates. The First Lady said the “lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.”
She insisted she had never been friends with him, never visited his island or flown on his plane, and had no knowledge of his crimes.
She also rejected claims that Epstein introduced her to her husband, saying they met by chance at a New York party in 1998.
“I am not Epstein’s victim,” she clarified. “Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I have never had any knowledge of Epstein’s abuse of his victims. I was never involved in any capacity.”
Melania wants all survivors to get a chance to testify.
Melania Trump went further, arguing that Epstein “was not alone” and calling on lawmakers to give survivors a chance to testify under oath before Congress, with their accounts entered into the official record.
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Hours later, more than a dozen survivors released a joint statement through activist channels, including posts shared by attorney and commentator Aaron Parnas.
Signed by women including Maria Farmer, Annie Farmer, Danielle Bensky, and Liz Stein, the response acknowledged the first lady’s call for hearings but questioned its framing and timing.
“Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, providing testimony, and filing detailed accounts with law enforcement and the courts,” the statement read. “We have done our part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs.”
The women expressed frustration that the burden looked to shift onto victims once again, this time under what they called potentially politicized congressional conditions.
They cited the Epstein Files Transparency Act, enacted by President Donald Trump in November 2025. This law mandated that the Department of Justice publish large amounts of documents pertaining to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
While the DOJ has made millions of pages public in phases, including a major January 2026 dump of more than 3 million documents, the survivors and some lawmakers say key materials remain withheld or heavily redacted.
Survivors’ response to Melania.
According to survivors, the First Lady is now placing the onus on the survivors under highly politicized circumstances, which favor the powerful, including the Department of Justice, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the Trump Administration, which they say “remains non-compliant with the requirements of the Epstein Files Transparency Act.”
Also Read: Melania Trump Confronts Epstein Rumors Head-On as DOJ Files Reveal 2002 Email Exchange
They urged that former Attorney General Pam Bondi and other officials be held accountable for the withholding of files and the exposure of survivors’ identities.
Survivors argue that public congressional hearings, although potentially cathartic for some, risk re-traumatizing women who have already endured invasive questioning and widespread skepticism. They stress that many have already provided sworn testimony to federal investigators and in civil cases.
The White House did not immediately respond to the survivors’ statement.
It is not yet clear whether Congress will take up the first lady’s suggestion for hearings. Lawmakers are expected to return from recess next week. However, the survivors’ collective voice adds another layer to a case that continues to resist closure, even years after Epstein’s death.
