First Lady Melania Trump addressed rumors of her association with Jeffrey Epstein, late convicted sex offender, in a live speech from the White House. She accused individuals of attempting to defame her reputation by publishing fake images and statements about her on social media. She also dismissed an association with Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of aiding him in his crimes, despite a 2002 email exchange between Maxwell and a "Melania" praising a magazine profile on Epstein. Despite this, Donald Trump denied knowledge of the speech in advance. The statement comes as the president and his administration are trying to deflect attention away from the Epstein scandal.