AXIOS (Avery Lotz) - Melania Trump says she's "never been friends with Epstein" in rare address
First lady Melania Trump denied that she had a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or that she had any ties to his crimes in a head-turning White House address Thursday. The big picture: The administration's handling of the Epstein files — and the president's ties to the disgraced financier — have become a months-long headache for the administration. Driving the news: "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," she said from the White House. - "I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," she said, adding she first "crossed paths" with…
First lady Melania Trump denied that she had a friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein or that she had any ties to his crimes in a head-turning White House address Thursday. The big picture: The administration's handling of the Epstein files — and the president's ties to the disgraced financier — have become a months-long headache for the administration. Driving the news: "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," she said from the White House. - "I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump," she said, adding she first "crossed paths" with…Open