President Donald Trump on Thursday, April 9, said that he had no prior knowledge of First Lady Melania Trump’s surprise on-camera statement regarding allegations about her ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Trump revealed this during his brief phone conversation with MSNBC Washington correspondent Jacqueline Alemany. He stated he “didn’t know anything about” the first lady’s remarks before she delivered them to reporters at the White House.

The President then informed the reporter that he was in a meeting about the ongoing U.S.-Iran war and could not discuss the matter further. Before ending the call, Trump said the First Lady “didn’t know” Jeffrey Epstein.

Earlier on Thursday, Melania made a rare public address from the White House, directly confronting renewed scrutiny over her past social connections in New York and Palm Beach following the release of additional Epstein-related records.

She said that anyone who links her with Epstein is a liar and should stop making such allegations.

Also Read: Melania Trump Confronts Epstein Rumors Head-On as DOJ Files Reveal 2002 Email Exchange

“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect.”

She further denied any friendship or relationship with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Melania said they, together with her husband, Trump, attended events that Epstein also attended simply because they were all invited and not because they were friends with him.

“I have never been friends with Epstein,” Melania Trump said. “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. To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell.”

According to Melania, her email reply to Maxwell was “nothing more than casual correspondence” and a “trivial note.”

Melania is not a victim.

She also stated she is not one of Epstein’s victims and called for congressional action. “Now is the time for Congress to act,” she said. “I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors.”

The first lady’s appearance marked an unusual step for a figure who has largely avoided direct engagement with such controversies during her time in the public eye.

Her statement came at the same time as there is fallout from the Justice Department’s release of Epstein files, which has led to a conversation about past connections with celebrities, such as the Trumps.

Also Read: Melania Trump Confronts Epstein Rumors Head-On as DOJ Files Reveal 2002 Email Exchange

There have been persistent questions about President Trump and Melania’s social circle in the 1990s and early 2000s, when Epstein moved among wealthy and influential circles in New York and Florida.

Trump has previously described knowing Epstein socially but said their relationship ended years before Epstein’s crimes became public.

Melania Trump has maintained she met her husband independently in 1998 at a New York party and has rejected any notion that Epstein played a role in their introduction.

White House officials have yet to issue further comment on the first lady’s statement or the president’s remarks to Alemany.

Trump and Melania spark reactions on social media.

The announcement has sparked intense reactions on social media and cable news networks, with some even wondering whether the president was oblivious to the pre-written speech the press corps read at the White House.

Some netizens, including journalists, said President Trump and Melania could be feeling guilty about the Epstein saga, which, according to netizens, prompted her to issue a statement and, at the same time, led President Trump to ‘pretend’ that he was not aware of what Melania had to tell the media.

“Could they sound any guiltier?” Aaron Rupar, a journalist, wrote on X.

The appeal by Melania Trump to Congress to conduct investigations aligns with the calls by victims’ rights activists for increased transparency and accountability.

However, she refrained from providing details about any interaction she may have had with Epstein. She clarified that attending party events together did not mean they were close friends or knew about Epstein’s criminal behavior.