WASHINGTON — In a rare public statement, first lady Melania Trump on Thursday said she “never had a relationship” with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

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In her remarks from the White House, she said that there have been numerous “fake images and statements about Epstein and me” circulating on social media.

Her statement was brief, but it was notable. The first lady is cautious in her public remarks and with her public image. A number of her aides gathered to watch her statement in the Grand Foyer of the White House, but several of them did not know what she was going to say beforehand.

It was the first time Melania Trump had spoken about the Epstein controversy on camera. It’s unclear what prompted her to make these remarks now, but her staff has been aggressive at knocking down what they call “defamatory” Epstein rumors.

They come after the Justice Department told the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday that former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not comply with a subpoena to provide testimony next week before the panel.

“The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop,” Melania Trump said.

The first lady called on Congress to provide the Epstein survivors with a public hearing.

“Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony. 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,” she said. “Then and only then, we will have the truth.”

In her comments, she referenced an email reply she once sent to Maxwell and said that “it cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence.”

The first lady said she’s not an Epstein victim and that he didn’t introduce her to her husband, President Donald Trump. She said the first time she crossed paths with Epstein was in 2000 at an event she and Trump attended together. “At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings,” she said.

She appeared to be referencing an email released by the Justice Department from October 2002 in which she purportedly wrote “Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture. I know you are very busy flying all over the world. How was Palm Beach? I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time! Love, Melania.” The email addresses for the sender and recipient are redacted in the public document.

The GOP-led House Oversight Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The top Democrat on the panel, Rep. Robert Garcia, of California, said in a post on X after Melania Trump’s statement that Democrats agree with her call for a public hearing.

“We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Lady’s request and schedule a public hearing immediately,” he wrote.

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., a committee member outspoken about bringing accountability to Epstein survivors, thanked the first lady on X and echoed her call for a public hearing.

“Now is the time for Congress to act,” she wrote. “Epstein was not alone. Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized. Of course, this doesn’t amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.”