First Lady Melania Trump has denied any connections to Jeffrey Epstein of the abuse he committed in a new shock statement, alluding to recent deepfake images that circulated around social media.
The release of the Epstein files has left many speculating which high profile figures might have been connected to the deceased child sex offender, with significant names such as Bill Gates and Elon Musk appearing within the exposed documents.
Having those aforementioned names revealed within the files suggests no involvement in the crimes committed by Epstein and his associates, although one US political figure has since lodged allegations that President Donald Trump was connected through currently unreleased information.
Melania Trump has, as a consequence, also been subject to accusations on social media — many of which appeared to spark from an image likely generated using AI showing Epstein attempting to kiss the First Lady.
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As reported by Lead Stories, posts on X claimed that French President Emmanuel Macron shared the image that has since been exposed as a deepfake, and Melania Trump has now come out to explicitly deny any connection with the disgraced financier in a new statement.
Speaking at the White House, Melania Trump declared: "The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today. The individuals lying about me are devoid of ethical standards, humility, and respect.
"I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation. I've never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach."
Many have also pointed towards images showing the President and the First Lady with Epstein at the parties she mentions, but those aren't explicitly any proof of association or friendship as she suggests.
She also addressed an email that was sent from herself to Epstein's close associate Ghislaine Maxwell, which she claims is nothing more than 'casual correspondence' and a 'tribal note'.
Speaking directly about the aforementioned AI generated images, Trump outlined: "Numerous fake images and statements about Epstein and me have been calculating on social media for years now. Be cautious about what you believe. These images and stories are completely false.
"The false smears about me from mean-spirited and politically motivated individuals and entities looking to cause damage to my good name to gain financially and climb politically must stop," she continued.
The First Lady has already played a key role in the passing of a bill designed to directly address deepfakes on social media, and she has used this opportunity to once again emphasize the danger of believing everything that you see online.