Did sex-abuser Epstein introduce Melania to Trump? Musk-stoked fire spreads

From the ashes of the once-close bromance between US President Donald Trump and Tesla chief Elon Musk has risen a firestorm, ignited by Musk's revelation that Trump's name appears in the Jeffrey Epstein files. The flames have since spread across the US, fuelling claims by Trump's biographer, Michael Wolff, that Epstein may have even played a role in introducing Melania to Trump.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the claim as an "unfortunate episode", suggesting that Musk's outburst stemmed from frustration over the impact Trump's tax legislation could have on his businesses.

A Wall Street Journal report, which was released last week, appeared to support Musk's claim.

The Wall Street Journal report claimed that US Attorney General Pam Bondi told President Donald Trump in May that his name appeared multiple times in files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

After the story broke, the White House called the report "fake news".

However, a White House official later told news agency Reuters that the administration did not deny Trump's name appeared in some files. They noted that Trump's name was already part of materials that Bondi had shared with conservative influencers earlier in the year.

Many connected the dots and took to social media to discuss that Musk was right.

"Elon was right," tweeted financier Anthony Scaramucci, who briefly served as communications director during Trump's first term.

"He knew it!," joked "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert.

"I always said. I always said that he's a good guy who's right about everything," added Colbert.

MELANIA INTRODUCED TO TRUMP VIA EPSTEIN?

Adding fuel to the fire, Trump's long-time biographer Wolff claimed in an interview with The Daily Beast podcast that Melania was "very involved" in Epstein's social circle before meeting Donald Trump.

"She's introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with. She's introduced to Trump that way. Epstein (knew) her well (sic)," Wolff said.

Trump and Melania reportedly first met in September 1998 through Paolo Zampolli, the founder of ID Models, who helped Melania immigrate to the US.

Zampolli had ties to Epstein and his now-incarcerated partner in crime, Ghislaine Maxwell, Politico reported.

Melania has rejected any suggestion of a connection to Epstein. She maintains that she first met Trump at New York's Kit Kat Klub, where she had gone out with a friend.

In her memoir Melania, she recounts how Trump – then twice divorced and accompanied by another woman – spent the night talking to her instead.

Since March 2025, Zampolli has held the title of Trump's special representative for global partnerships.

A devoted MAGA insider, he proudly displays a massive oil portrait of Trump in his $17 million mansion in Georgetown.

TRUMP UNDER MEDIA PRESSURE OVER EPSTEIN TIES

The Trump administration has come under renewed media pressure over its handling of the Epstein scandal, especially after a July 6 memo from the Department of Justice and FBI concluded that Epstein died by suicide while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges in 2019 – and that no so-called "client list" of wealthy associates exists.

Trump was known to be friendly with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s. Records show Trump's name appears several times on flight logs for Epstein's private plane from that time. Trump and his family members also appear in Epstein's contact book, which lists many other individuals.

Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had sent Epstein a provocative birthday note in 2003, which ended with the line: "Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret."

Trump has sued the Wall Street Journal and its owners, including media billionaire Rupert Murdoch, saying the birthday note is fake.

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