A growing group of Jeffrey Epstein’s survivors are hitting back at Melania Trump, accusing her of attempting to “shift the burden” onto victims after her unexpected public address.
The controversy stems from the First Lady’s statement on April 9, where she denied any personal ties to Epstein or Ghislaine Maxwell and challenged Congress to hold public hearings featuring sworn testimony from those abused by the late financier. While presented as a call for transparency, those who lived through the abuse say the move feels more like a political maneuver than a pursuit of justice.
“Not Justice, But Deflection”
In a joint response, 13 survivors along with the siblings of the late Virginia Giuffre stated that they have already done their part by coming forward and filing reports over the years. They argue that demanding further public testimony under “politicized conditions” serves to protect those currently in power rather than hold enablers accountable.
“Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice,” the group’s statement read. They pointed out that the current administration and the Department of Justice have yet to fully comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was intended to bring all remaining records to light.
A Call to “Show Your Hand”
While many survivors expressed outrage and exhaustion at the idea of being “re-traumatized” for a congressional audience, some are taking a different approach. Survivor Lisa Phillips noted that she viewed the First Lady’s remarks as an attempt to distance herself from the ongoing controversy.
“I would call her bluff,” Phillips told reporters, suggesting that if the First Lady truly wants to see justice, she should take the next step and engage directly with the survivors to find out what they actually need.
Tension in the Capital
The clash comes at a sensitive time in Washington. The Department of Justice recently confirmed that key figures would not comply with subpoenas regarding the handling of the Epstein investigation, further fueling accusations of a cover-up.
Marina Lacerda, another vocal survivor, questioned the utility of more hearings when existing files already contain names that have resulted in little to no legal action. “We’ve got names in the files, nobody has done nothing,” she said in a video shared to social media. “But yet, you want to re-traumatize us.”
As the White House remains silent in the wake of the survivors’ backlash, the focus has shifted from the First Lady’s denial to the mounting pressure for the government to release the full, unredacted FBI records and prioritize the needs of the victims over political optics.
