In the surprising statement before the cameras in the White House foyer, Melania Trump denied unspecified allegations linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
"The lies linking me to the disgraced Jeffrey Epstein must end today. Those who lie about me lack ethical standards, humility and respect," the First Lady said.
Melania Trump also called on Congress to hold a public hearing where Epstein's victims are given a chance to testify before lawmakers and have their stories entered into the congressional record.
"Every woman should have her day to tell her story publicly if she wishes. Then, and only then, will we get the truth," she said.
Her unexpected statement came just as the Epstein controversy had recently been overshadowed by the war in Iran, but now risks being thrust back into the political spotlight.
Melania Trump further said she was not friends with Epstein or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, but said she was in overlapping social circles in New York and Florida.
She described an email response she sent to Maxwell as "everyday correspondence."
"My polite response to her email is nothing more than a trifle," she said.
US President Donald Trump, who met Epstein in the 1980s, appears frequently in documents released in the Epstein investigation. Trump maintains that he never did anything wrong and has never been charged by the justice system with Epstein-related crimes.
