00:06Good afternoon.
00:08The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today.
00:17The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility and respect.
00:27I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation.
00:39I've never been friends with Epstein.
00:43Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time,
00:50since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach.
01:00To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice Maxwell.
01:09My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence.
01:20My polite reply to her email doesn't amount to anything more than a tribal note.
01:30I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump.
01:38I met my husband by chance at the New York City party in 1998.
01:46This initial encounter with my husband is documented in a detail in my book, Melania.
01:54The first time I crossed paths with Epstein was in the year 2000 at an event Donald and I attended
02:03together.
02:05At the time, I had never met Epstein and had no knowledge of his criminal undertakings.
02:16Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been calculating on social media for years now.
02:29Be cautious about what you believe.
02:34These images and stories are completely false.
02:39I am not a witness or a name witness in connection with any of Epstein's crimes.
02:47My name has never appeared in court documents, depositions, victim statements or FBI interviews surrounding the Epstein matter.
03:00I have never had any knowledge of Epstein's abuse of his victims.
03:09I was never involved in any capacity.
03:12I was not a participant, was never on Epstein's plane and never visited his private island.
03:23I have never been legally accused or convinced of a crime in connection with Epstein's sex trafficking, abuse of minors
03:35and other repulsive behavior.
03:37The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my
03:49good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop.
03:56My attorneys and I have fought these unfound and baseless lies with success and will continue to maintain my sound
04:06reputation without hesitation.
04:08To date, several individuals and companies have been legally obligated to publicly apologize and retract their lies about me, such
04:22as Daily Beast, James Carville and HarperCollins UK.
04:29Now is the time for Congress to act.
04:33Epstein was not alone.
04:36Several prominent male executives resigned from their powerful positions after this matter became widely politicized.
04:47Of course, this doesn't amount to guilt, but we still must work openly and transparently to uncover the truth.
04:56I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered
05:07around the survivors.
05:10Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony.
05:21Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her
05:30testimony should be permanently entered into the Congressional record.
05:37Then, and only then, we will have the truth. Thank you.
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