Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse have accused Melania Trump of “shifting the burden” onto victims after she called for Congress to hold public hearings involving survivors.
A group of 13 survivors, along with relatives of the late Virginia Giuffre, issued a statement saying that victims had already shown “extraordinary courage” by coming forward, providing testimony, and filing reports, and should not be required to relive their experiences under further political scrutiny.
Their response came after Melania Trump issued a statement denying any personal connection to Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and rejecting claims linking her to the convicted sex offender. She also said Epstein did not introduce her to Donald Trump and called such claims “lies” circulating on social media.
In her remarks, she urged Congress to hold public hearings and allow survivors to give sworn testimony, saying accountability and transparency were necessary in the case.
However, survivors argued that further hearings could risk retraumatising victims and shifting responsibility away from institutions involved in the investigation. They said the focus should instead be on law enforcement, prosecutors, and government agencies handling the case.
The group also raised concerns about ongoing issues surrounding the release of documents related to Epstein’s case, alleging that transparency has not been fully achieved and that key records remain withheld.
Separately, other survivors have expressed mixed views on proposed congressional hearings, with some calling for accountability and others questioning whether additional testimony would lead to meaningful action.
The debate comes amid renewed political and legal attention on how the Epstein investigation has been handled, including calls for greater transparency and criticism of delays in releasing related files.
The White House has not issued an official response to the latest statements from survivors.
The case continues to generate controversy in the United States, as survivors and advocates push for justice, accountability, and full disclosure of records connected to Epstein’s network.
