Melania, the wife of U.S. President Donald Trump, on the 9th (local time) denied any connection to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell through an unexpected statement.

Through a statement broadcast live from the White House that day, Melania said, “The lies that link me to the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein must end today.”

Earlier, it was revealed that Melania had sent an email to Maxwell in 2002, and Hunter, the second son of former U.S. President Joe Biden, had claimed that Epstein introduced Melania to President Trump.

In the statement, Melania said, “My email reply to Maxwell was merely a casual exchange of correspondence. My polite response to her email was nothing more than a trivial note.” She continued, “I am not a victim of Epstein. Epstein did not introduce me to Trump,” and asserted, “I met my husband by chance at a party in New York City in 1998.”

She said, “To be clear, I have never had any relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell,” and added, “The first time I encountered Epstein was at an event in 2000 that I attended with Donald. Before that, I had never met Epstein and was entirely unaware of his criminal acts.”

Melania also said, “Countless fake photos and statements about Epstein and me have spread on social media for years. These photos and stories are completely false,” and stated that her name has never appeared in court filings, depositions, victim statements, or Federal Bureau of Investigation records related to Epstein.

She then urged, “The false defamation by individuals and groups with malicious and political motives who seek to damage my reputation for financial gain and political advancement must stop.”

She also called on Congress to “hold a public hearing centered on survivors, for the women harmed by Epstein.”

In a telephone interview with the U.S. broadcaster MS Now, President Trump said he had not known in advance about the statement by Melania and said, “She did not know (Epstein),” the outlet reported.

MS Now also assessed that the driving force behind the decision by Melania to issue the statement that day was unclear, and, citing an anonymous White House communications official, reported that many White House staff members were taken aback by remarks by the first lady.

AP described the announcement by Melania that day as a “sudden message,” saying it “startled not only the White House but also Washington political circles,” and noted that it “came at exactly the moment when President Trump and his administration appeared to have finally moved past the Epstein controversy that had dominated attention for weeks.”