Epstein Survivors Slam Melania Trump for Deflecting Responsibility onto Victims

More than a dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, including the siblings of Virginia Giuffre, have condemned Melania Trump for “shifting the burden” onto victims after the first lady called on Congress to hold public hearings with survivors of Epstein’s crimes.

In a surprise statement, Melania Trump denied any relationship with Epstein or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, insisted she was never a victim, and claimed Epstein did not introduce her to Donald Trump. She also condemned what she called “lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein,” blaming “fake images and statements” circulating on social media.

Her senior adviser told Reuters that Melania spoke out because “enough is enough” and the “lies must stop.” She urged Congress to take sworn testimony from survivors, calling for public hearings.

But the group of 13 survivors and the Giuffre siblings fired back in a statement Thursday evening, accusing the first lady of deflecting responsibility onto survivors “under politicized conditions that protect those with power.” They pointed to the Department of Justice, law enforcement, prosecutors, and the Trump administration’s ongoing failure to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The survivors also highlighted former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has refused to comply with a subpoena to testify before the House oversight committee about the DOJ’s handling of the Epstein investigation and the release of files. “Those failures continue to put lives at risk while shielding enablers,” the survivors said. “Survivors have done their part. Now it’s time for those in power to do theirs.”

Two other survivors, Maria and Annie Farmer, echoed the call for accountability and transparency, criticizing the federal government for mismanaging the investigation, violating survivors’ privacy, and withholding critical FBI records.

On social media, survivor Marina Lacerda questioned the purpose of testifying under oath before Congress, asking if it would lead to any real accountability or just re-traumatize victims. “We’ve got names in the files, nobody has done nothing,” she said.

Lisa Phillips, another survivor, told Sky News that Melania’s statement seemed aimed at distancing herself from her husband and challenging the public narrative. Phillips urged the first lady to follow through on her call for hearings by engaging directly with survivors and pushing for real justice.

The White House has not responded to requests for comment on the survivors’ rebuke.

This clash exposes the ongoing tension between survivors demanding genuine accountability and political figures seeking to manage their own reputations. As the Epstein Files Transparency Act remains only partially enforced, survivors warn that justice continues to be delayed while powerful enablers evade scrutiny.