Melania Trump Lauded Epstein Piece in Maxwell Email, Docs Reveal
Emails released by the US Justice Department suggest that Melania Trump praised a magazine article about Jeffrey Epstein in correspondence with his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, according to newly disclosed Epstein related documents.
The email exchange dates from October 2002 and appears in a tranche of nearly three million records released by the United States Department of Justice as part of a mandated transparency process.
In one message, addressed to “G”, Mrs Trump wrote warmly to Maxwell, commenting on a profile of Epstein published that month by New York Magazine.
“Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great in the picture,” the email reads, signed “Love, Melania”.
At the time, Mrs Trump was known publicly as Melania Knauss and was not yet married to Donald Trump, whom she would later wed in 2005.
Context of the article
The New York Magazine profile referenced in the email included comments from Mr Trump, who described Epstein as a longtime acquaintance.
“I’ve known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy,” Mr Trump said in the interview. “It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.”
Epstein would later be convicted in 2008 of soliciting sex from a minor in Florida under a controversial plea agreement, and died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Email exchange details
In her message, Mrs Trump also expressed interest in visiting Palm Beach and suggested meeting Maxwell once she returned to New York. Both Epstein and Mr Trump owned properties in those locations at the time.
In a reply included in the files, Maxwell addressed Mrs Trump as “sweet pea” and said she would be back in New York only briefly before travelling again.
“I still do not think I have time to see you sadly,” Maxwell wrote. “I will try and call though.”
The exchange appears to be the earliest written correspondence between Maxwell and Mrs Trump contained in the released records. The two women had previously been photographed together at social events alongside Trump and Epstein in the early 2000s.
Wider release of documents
The Justice Department release includes emails, investigative records, prison documents, and other materials related to Epstein and Maxwell, who is currently serving a 20 year sentence for sex trafficking.
The documents span more than a decade and reflect Epstein’s social and professional contacts. Officials have stressed that the presence of a name in the files does not imply wrongdoing.
The White House has not commented on the email exchange between Mrs Trump and Maxwell. Neither Melania Trump nor Donald Trump has been accused of criminal activity in connection with Epstein or his associates.
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Additional claims and responses
The document release has also renewed attention on past allegations and claims made by third parties. Author Michael Wolff has previously alleged that Donald and Melania Trump’s relationship began during a flight on Epstein’s private aircraft. Mrs Trump has denied the claim and has threatened legal action over it. Wolff has said he stands by his reporting.
Another email included in the released files, sent to Epstein in November 2016 by an unnamed individual, recounts crude remarks allegedly made by Mr Trump about his wife during a private flight. The email reflects the sender’s account only and does not constitute verified evidence.
Legal and journalistic caution
Officials and legal experts have emphasised that many of the released documents contain untested claims, private correspondence, or third party accounts that were never subject to prosecution or judicial findings.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the release marked the conclusion of a lengthy review process, though some lawmakers argue additional material may still be withheld.
The Justice Department has reiterated that if it possessed evidence identifying perpetrators of crimes against Epstein’s victims, those individuals would have been prosecuted.
As journalists continue to review the material, media organisations have stressed the importance of distinguishing documented correspondence from allegations or unproven claims.
