Melania’s Epstein denial stirs debate over motive and distraction

First Lady Melania Trump delivered a forceful denial of any relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, insisting she never had a relationship with him despite social overlap with Epstein and Trump. The timing and tone of the remarks are read by some as a preemptive move to shape coverage amid tensions over Iran, while she urged Congress to hold hearings for Epstein survivors, a call that sparked bipartisan attention and further speculation about motives and potential new disclosures.