U.S. First Lady Melania Trump has firmly rejected claims linking her to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, asserting that she was never friends with him and stating, “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.” In a rare public address from the White House, she emphasized that she is not Epstein's victim and denounced the spread of misinformation, including fake images and statements. Despite her denials, social media users quickly revived old photographs and media reports connecting her to Epstein, particularly from events in the early 2000s where Epstein was present alongside her husband, Donald Trump. Notably, Andrew Lownie, a biographer of Prince Andrew, previously claimed that Melania and Epstein were lovers, although this assertion has not been independently verified. Epstein, who was convicted of sex offenses, died in 2019 while awaiting trial for charges related to sex trafficking of minors.