US first lady Melania Trump on Thursday made a surprise statement denying any knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse, or that she herself was a victim of the convicted sex offender.
The 55-year-old’s rare on-camera remarks at the White House came out of the blue, in an extraordinary intervention in a scandal that has long haunted her husband, US President Donald Trump.
“The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” she said. “The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect.”
Photo: EPA
It was not clear why the Slovenian-born former model decided to give the public statement, and she did not detail any specific allegations about her and the late, convicted sex offender.
Melania and Donald Trump had previously been photographed with Epstein, but she said that she had met her husband independently two years prior to meeting Epstein.
“I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump,” Melania Trump said.
She said “fake images and statements about Epstein and me” had been circulating on social media “for years now. Be cautious about what you believe: These images and stories are completely false.”
The first lady also urged the US Congress to hold a public hearing for survivors of Epstein’s abuse to “give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath.”
However, some Epstein survivors and their families, including the brother of Epstein’s main accuser, Virginia Giuffre, called the speech a “deflection of responsibility.”
First lady “Melania Trump is now shifting the burden onto survivors under political conditions that protect those with power” including the [Donald] Trump administration, “which has still not fully complied with the Epstein Files Transparency Act,” a joint statement posted on social media said.
Two of Epstein’s accusers, sisters Maria and Annie Farmer, in a separate statement said: “We can’t speak for other survivors, but what we want is accountability, transparency and justice.”
PROVOCATIVE: Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the UN Sun Lei accused Japan of sending military vessels to deliberately provoke tensions in the Taiwan Strait China denounced remarks by Japan and the EU about the South China Sea at a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, and accused Tokyo of provocative behavior in the Taiwan Strait and planning military expansion. Ayano Kunimitsu, a Japanese vice foreign minister, told the Council meeting on maritime security that Tokyo was seriously concerned about the situation in the East China and South China seas, and reiterated Japan’s opposition to any attempt to change the “status quo” by force, and obstruction of freedom of navigation and overflight. Stavros Lambrinidis, head of the EU delegation to the UN, also highlighted South China Sea
The final batch of 28 M1A2T Abrams tanks purchased from the US arrived at Taipei Port last night and were transported to the Armor Training Command in Hsinchu County’s Hukou Township (湖口), completing the military’s multi-year procurement of 108 of the tanks. Starting at 12:10am today, reporters observed more than a dozen civilian flatbed trailers departing from Taipei Port, each carrying an M1A2T tank covered with black waterproof tarps. Escorted by military vehicles, the convoy traveled via the West Coast Expressway to the Armor Training Command, with police implementing traffic control. The army operates about 1,000 tanks, including CM-11 Brave Tiger
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said it expects its 2-nanometer (2nm) chip capacity to grow at a compound annual rate of 70 percent from this year to 2028. The projection comes as five fabs begin volume production of 2-nanometer chips this year — two in Hsinchu and three in Kaohsiung — TSMC senior vice president and deputy cochief operating officer Cliff Hou (侯永清) said at the company’s annual technology symposium in Silicon Valley, California, last week. Output in the first year of 2-nanometer production, which began in the fourth quarter of last year, is expected to
Taiwan’s drone exports surged past US$100 million in the first quarter, exceeding last year’s full-year total, with the Czech Republic emerging as the largest buyer, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said. Exports of complete drones reached US$115.85 million in the period, about 1.2 times the total recorded for all of last year, the ministry said in a report. Exports to the Czech Republic accounted for about US$100 million, far outpacing other markets. Poland, last year’s top destination, recorded about US$11.75 million in the first quarter. Taiwan’s drone exports have expanded rapidly in the past few years, with last year’s total
RSS