Melania Trump Defends Trump Amid WSJ Epstein Lawsuit

First Lady Melania Trump has recently made public statements defending President Donald Trump amid controversies related to Jeffrey Epstein. She announced a $30 million housing commitment for foster youth through her Be Best campaign, but critics primarily responded by demanding the release of Epstein-related files, reflecting ongoing tensions within the Trump administration’s base. Melania also addressed rumors linking her husband to Epstein, sharing excerpts from her 2024 memoir to clarify that Epstein did not introduce them, while President Trump filed a $10 billion lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over a report alleging a suggestive birthday letter from Trump to Epstein. Meanwhile, tensions within the Trump family have been highlighted by former aide Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, who alleged Melania’s involvement in “Operation Block Ivanka,” a scheme to minimize Ivanka Trump's visibility during Donald Trump’s 2016 inauguration, and claimed Melania referred to Ivanka and Jared Kushner as "snakes." Melania’s former chief of staff strongly denied these claims, describing them as paranoid and false, while sources noted that Ivanka and Melania had maintained respect for each other's roles during the Trump White House tenure.