Jimmy Kimmel thinks Melania Trump might have brought the Epstein scandal back into the spotlight out of sheer resentment towards her husband.
Melania gave a speech at the White House on Thursday in which she unexpectedly addressed the media speculation over her ties to notorious convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
“The lies linking me with Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Melania said. ”I’ve never been friends with Epstein. I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, Maxwell. My email reply to Maxwell cannot be categorized as anything more than casual correspondence.”
Melania was referring to a 2002 email she sent to Epstein’s accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell. The tone and content of the message seem to imply that Melania was on friendly terms with both Maxwell and Epstein.
Maxwell’s email response also implied significant prior interactions between her and the future first lady. Maxwell addressed Melania as “Sweet pea,” and promised to try to call her soon.
Both emails were released by the Department of Justice on Jan. 30. Although Melania received media scrutiny for the unearthed emails, in recent weeks there hasn’t appeared to have been significant pressure on the first lady to address them.
Reporters were surprised to hear her address the topic so suddenly on Thursday, as was Kimmel.
“Why is this happening today?” Kimmel asked.
Referring to Trump’s war in Iran, Kimmel explained, “He spent the past six weeks trying to bomb this Epstein story out of the headlines. Two days after the ceasefire, she puts it right back on top.”
“She must really hate him. I don’t know how else to explain it,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel noted that officials in the White House were reportedly blindsided by Melania’s speech, as was Trump himself.
“He didn’t know she was going to do it before she did it, which shows you just how smoothly things are running over there,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel, who long theorized that Donald and Melania Trump do not have a happy marriage, marveled further:
“For whatever reason, she didn’t ask,” he said. “She didn’t give him a heads up. She just went right out in front of the cameras and fired away.”
In addition to denying any involvement or knowledge of Epstein’s crimes in her speech, Melania urged Congress to hold a hearing with Epstein survivors.
“Give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony,” Melania said.
Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, a major critic of the Trump administration’s handling of the Epstein files, responded to Melania’s speech by noting that it’s been the Trump administration who has prevented Epstein survivors from testifying.
“@RepRoKhanna & I already gave brave survivors a chance to tell their horrific stories on Capitol Hill. @PamBondi wouldn’t even acknowledge them. PROSECUTE!” Massie said.
The lawmaker urged current Attorney General Todd Blanche to grant Melania’s request and hold an official hearing for Epstein survivors.
