First lady Melania Trump called for Congress to hold a public hearing centered on survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, in a Thursday press appearance where she also attempted to distance herself from the late sex abuser.
“Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony,” she told reporters. “Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record.”
The demand is a major step for the first lady, given the friendship her husband, President Donald Trump, had with the disgraced financier. The White House has not immediately responded to HuffPost’s request for comment, though CNN reports that the president was not previously aware his wife would mention Epstein in her speech.
The Trump administration has faced major bipartisan backlash for its efforts to hinder the full, transparent release of the Epstein files. Under recently ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi, relevant documents would be released over multiple drops, with many items censoring powerful names while revealing survivors’ identities.
“Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized,” Melania Trump said. “Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.”
