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NDTV
28-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Epstein "Knew" Melania Well, Trump's Biographer Alleges Link Between Two
Long before she became the first lady, Melania Knauss - name before marriage - was "very involved" in convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's social circle, and that is how she was introduced to Donald Trump, a longtime biographer of the 47th US President has claimed. "She's introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with. She's introduced to Trump that way. Epstein [knew] her well," Michael Wolff said in an interview with The Daily Beast podcast host Joanna Coles. Melania was part of the same modelling and social circles frequented by both Trump and Epstein, he added. In tapes Wolff claims to have recorded, Epstein allegedly said Trump liked to "f***" his friends' wives and first slept with Melania aboard his private jet, nicknamed the 'Lolita Express.' "Where does [Melania] fit into the Epstein story? Where does she fit into this, into this whole culture of models of indeterminate age?" Wolff asked. "So this is another complicated dimension in this." Wolff also pointed to Melania's 1998 introduction to Trump through Paolo Zampolli, founder of ID Models, who had ties to both Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell. Zampolli, who played a key role in helping Melania emigrate to the US, currently serves as Trump's special representative for global partnerships. Melania Trump has denied Epstein's role in her relationship with Trump. Last week, she shared an excerpt from her bestselling memoir 'Melania', writing that she met Trump at New York City's Kit Kat Club, not through Epstein. Wolff also described the first lady as someone who prefers to remain out of the spotlight. "She never is by his side," he said. The White House has strongly denied Wolff's allegations. Communications Director Steven Cheung responded, "Michael Wolff is a lying sack of sh*t and has been proven to be a fraud. He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain." Amid growing attention on the Epstein case, the Trump administration has faced renewed scrutiny after a July 6 memo from the Justice Department and FBI said that no "client list" exists. Last Tuesday, the Department of Justice sought an interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former accomplice of Epstein, currently in jail. She was convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking minors on behalf of the disgraced billionaire, who died in custody in 2019.
Hindustan Times
27-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Was Melania Trump ‘very involved' in Jeffrey Epstein scandal? White House reacts to new shocking claims
First Lady Melania Trump may be the missing piece connecting President Donald Trump to late sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, as per longtime Trump biographer Michael Wolff. Melania Trump shared a two-page passage from her best-selling book, Melania, in which she denied that Epstein was involved in her introduction with Trump(X) In an interview with Joanna Coles of the Daily Beast Podcast, Wolff claimed that Melania was 'very involved' in Epstein's network of friends, which is how she first encountered Trump. 'She's introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with. She's introduced to Trump that way. Epstein [knew] her well,' Wolff stated. According to reports, Trump and Melania crossed paths in September 1998 when she was assisted in her immigration to the US by ID Models founder Paolo Zampolli. Politico said Zampolli was connected to Epstein and his now-detained co-conspirator and ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell. Also Read: Trump to prosecute Beyonce, Oprah and Kamala Harris? POTUS warns 'All hell would break out!' Wolf makes stunning claims about Trump, Melania In shocking audio recorded by Wolff, Epstein claimed that Trump enjoyed 'f---ing' his buddies' spouses and even started sleeping with Melania on his 'Lolita Express'. Zampolli has been Trump's special representative for international partnerships since March 2025. The MAGA supporter's $17 million Georgetown estate features a massive oil picture of Trump. 'Where does [Melania] fit into the Epstein story? Where does she fit into this, into this whole culture of models of indeterminate age?' Wolff asked, calling it a new tricky dimension in this. On July 6, the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation released a memo, stating that Epstein committed suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019 and that there is no 'client list' of wealthy co-conspirators. Melania denied any Epstein connection Last week, Melania shared a two-page passage from her best-selling book, Melania, in which she denied that Epstein was involved in her introduction with Trump. On the other hand, the book alleges that Epstein met Trump at the Kit Kat Club in New York. According to Wolff, Melania usually stays in the shadows. Wolff informed Coles that she was never by his side. 'All of those courtroom appearances that she shows up once, I report in my book that one of the aides approached her and she said, 'Nice try,' and then laughed.' White House reacts to Wolf claims Meanwhile, Steven Cheung, director of communications for the White House, called Wolff a 'fraud,' as per Daily Beast. Calling Wolf a 'lying sack' and 'fraud', Cheung said, 'He routinely fabricates stories originating from his sick and warped imagination, only possible because he has a severe and debilitating case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted his peanut-sized brain.'
