Melania Trump Names Daily Beast, James Carville in Epstein Statement, but Her Biggest Demand Targets Congress

First Lady Melania Trump's statement naming The Daily Beast and political commentator James Carville over allegations linking her to Jeffrey Epstein has resurfaced online, drawing attention to her demand that Congress hear from his survivors.

The remarks were delivered at the White House on 9 April 2026, not this week. In the address, Trump rejected claims about her relationship with Epstein and urged lawmakers to provide survivors with an opportunity to testify publicly under oath.

Melania Trump Names Three Parties

Trump said she and her lawyers had challenged what she described as false claims about her, identifying The Daily Beast, Carville and publisher HarperCollins UK.

She asserted that several individuals and companies had been legally obliged to apologise and retract statements. Her remarks did not provide details of each dispute or establish that every case involved a court ruling.

The First Lady said she had never been friends with Epstein, although she acknowledged attending some of the same social events in New York and Palm Beach with her husband, Donald Trump.

She also denied having a relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in connection with Epstein's abuse of minors. Trump characterised an email exchange with Maxwell as casual correspondence rather than evidence of a friendship.

She said she first encountered Epstein at an event in 2000 and disputed suggestions that he introduced her to Donald Trump, whom she said she met at a New York party in 1998.

Her Biggest Demand Was for Congress

The address shifted from personal denials to a demand for lawmakers to hold a public hearing devoted to women abused by Epstein.

Trump urged Congress to allow survivors who wished to participate to give sworn testimony and have their accounts permanently entered into the Congressional Record.

She argued that public testimony could help establish the truth about Epstein's crimes and the wider circumstances surrounding them.

Trump also said Epstein had not acted alone and referred to prominent executives who had resigned amid scrutiny. She acknowledged that resignations themselves did not establish guilt.

Her proposal did not mean Congress had agreed to convene such a hearing. Nor did she identify specific additional perpetrators or present new evidence against named individuals.

Survivors Responded to the Proposal

The call was not universally welcomed. In a statement following the April address, more than a dozen Epstein survivors argued that they had already demonstrated courage by reporting abuse and giving testimony.

They warned that demanding further public testimony risked placing responsibility back on survivors rather than institutions investigating the crimes.

Some survivors viewed further public testimony as an additional burden, although Trump had explicitly said participation should be voluntary.

Why the April Speech Is Circulating Again

The resurfaced video highlights two messages within Trump's original address: a forceful defence of her reputation and a call for greater congressional scrutiny of Epstein's abuse. Her statement addressed both her encounters with Epstein and her correspondence with Maxwell.

The call for hearings drew support from lawmakers in both parties, while some survivors said responsibility for further action rested with the authorities.