Melania Trump challenged a reporter who tried to ask her about Ghislaine Maxwell while meeting with a hostage freed by Hamas. The First Lady hosted American-Israeli Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva at the White House a year after she helped advocate for his freedom. In a rare moment, dozens of members of the press were welcomed into the room at the conclusion of their meeting to hear remarks from Melania and the Siegels. Before reporters were ushered out of the room, one was able to sneak in a question to Melania about calls for convicted sexual trafficker Maxwell to be moved to a high security prison amid the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Melania didn’t fall for the bait, but was able to get a quip in at the reporter. ‘We are here celebrating the release and the life of these two incredible people,’ she countered. ‘So let’s honor that, thank you.’ The Justice Department on Friday released a trove of more than 3 million Epstein files, including an email addressed to Maxwell that’s signed ‘Love Melania.’ The Trumps, Maxwell and Epstein mixed in the same circles from Manhattan to Mar-a-Lago through the 1990s and early 2000s. Despite their relatively similar situations just a few decades ago, Melania and Maxwell’s lives took very different turns. The former married her rich businessman boyfriend, had a child with him and became first lady of the US, while the latter remains the only living person serving jail time for Epstein’s child sexual crimes.
Melania Pushes Back on Claims of Film Promotion
Melania wasn’t letting her meeting with Keith and Aviva be derailed by irrelevant questions – including one by a reporter asking if she held the meeting to promote her new film Melania: Twenty Days to History. ‘It is nothing to do with promotion,’ the First Lady insisted. Aviva was featured in the movie as she met with Melania to push for her husband and other Israeli hostages’ freedom. Keith thanked Melania for including their story in her film, which was just released in theaters across the country on Friday. The email in the Epstein files signed by ‘Melania’ in 2002 begins: ‘Dear G! How are you? Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great on the picture.’ New York Magazine that same week ran a now-infamous story headlined: ‘Jeffrey Epstein: International Moneyman of Mystery.’
The article featured a colored full-page caricature-like illustration of Epstein grinning alongside former President Bill Clinton in front of his private jet, as similarly animated versions of actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker were drawn boarding the aircraft behind them. The email signed ‘Melania’ continues: ‘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!’ Trump maintains that he broke off ties with Epstein in 2007 when he kicked him out of his Mar-a-Lago club for being ‘a creep.’ Documents released by the DOJ on Friday show that a writer identified as ‘G. Max’ replied to the 2002 ‘Love Melania’ email with: ‘Sweet pea, Thanks for your message.’
Melania’s Shift From Social Circles to Humanitarian Focus
‘Actually plans changed again and I am now on my way back to NY. I leave again on Fri so I still do not think I have time to see you sadly. I will try and call though,’ it went on. The author of the message signed off with her initial and a kiss: ‘Keep well. Gx.’ Now, more than two decades later, Melania is the most elusive first lady at least in recent US history. She rarely does public events, doesn’t often take questions from the press and isn’t seen beside President Trump as much as she was in the first term. Her focus as first lady has been on humanitarian causes – especially as it relates to children.
She previewed for reporters on Wednesday that she is working on getting Russian President Vladimir Putin to release more Ukrainian children. ‘We are in the process. So I hope we have success very soon. I will keep you posted,’ the Slovenian-born former model vowed.
