Epstein survivors comment on Melania Trump statement : NPR
First lady Melania Trump delivers a statement in the Grand Foyer of the White House on April 9, 2026 in Washington, DC
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After a surprise public statement from first lady Melania Trump denying she had any significant ties to Jeffrey Epstein and calling for a congressional hearing, survivors of the late sex offender’s abuse have expressed mixed opinions about the statement.
At the White House on Thursday, Trump said she was not a victim of Epstein, that she did not know about his crimes and that he did not introduce her to President Trump. She then called on Congress to take further action.
“Epstein was not alone,” she said. “I call on Congress to provide Epstein’s female victims with a public hearing specifically focused on survivors. Give these victims the opportunity to testify under oath before Congress.”
In a statement to NPR, the Justice Department said: “As we have always stated, we encourage any victims of Jeffrey Epstein – who wish to speak – to contact the FBI. Any survivor with information about an attacker is encouraged to contact federal law enforcement. »
Later Thursday, a group of 15 survivors of Epstein’s abuse released a statement saying the first lady is now “shifting the burden” onto survivors to protect those in power, including the Justice Department, law enforcement, prosecutors and the Trump administration.
“Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already demonstrated extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports and testifying,” the statement said. “Asking them for more now is a deflection of responsibility, not justice.”
The White House did not immediately respond to NPR’s questions about whether it had a response to some survivors’ criticism or why the first lady was speaking out now.
Among the survivors who signed the statement was Marina Lacerda, who was identified in a 2019 indictment against Epstein as Minor Victim 1. She also posted a video on Instagram shortly after the first lady’s press conference, questioning whether a hearing would produce anything meaningful.
“You want to retraumatize us and ask us to go before Congress and tell them our story, which we’ve already told some of them,” Lacerda said. “And then do absolutely nothing.”
In a separate statement, sisters Maria and Annie Farmer, who both said they were abused by Epstein, said they wanted “accountability, transparency and justice.”
“If the federal government is truly committed to supporting survivors, it would ask us what we want and should follow the facts wherever they lead,” the statement said.
But Alicia Arden, who claims Epstein assaulted her in a hotel when she was a young model, told NPR she wants to testify. She also said she thought it was brave of Melania Trump to make a statement.
“I am prepared to testify before Congress about what Jeffrey Epstein did to me and how I was attacked in the room,” Arden said.
The Justice Department has released millions of pages of documents related to Epstein, his personal life, his relationships, his crimes and the people around him. These files contain a number of references to President Trump. An NPR investigation in February found that documents naming the president were not included in the files, some of which were later released. Epstein and Maxwell, so far, are the only people listed in the filings — where many high-profile individuals are named — who have faced criminal charges.
Arden said “everything about the files always had to be made public” and that information about Epstein’s crimes must continue to reach the public. She added that whether other survivors also wish to testify is “entirely their choice.”
“If they feel like it’s a burden on them, then they don’t have to do it,” Arden said. “I don’t feel like it’s a burden on me. It helps me to keep talking about it.”
Arden filed a police report before Epstein’s indictment in 2006. She said that looking back, she still can’t believe she went through with it.
“I was so scared and I’m really happy I did it because everyone is happy I did it now because it’s on the record,” Arden said. “The other victims who couldn’t do it, I did it for them.
“I hope we can testify before Congress,” Arden continued. “If Melania would like to be with us, I think it would be nice and helpful if we could… testify alongside her.”
The White House did not respond to NPR’s question about whether the first lady was considering the possibility.
Gloria Allred, an attorney who represented 27 survivors of Epstein’s abuse with Arden, said she was glad the first lady made the statement. She said she supported a hearing, but that survivors should not be subpoenaed to testify.
“I don’t think one survivor, or even one attorney, should make this decision for everyone, because there would be over a thousand survivors,” Allred said. “It’s time for them to take control of their own decisions.”
Neither Allred nor Arden said they had heard from members of Congress about specific plans for a hearing. Allred also called on Melania Trump to testify, saying it would be a “powerful example.”
“How many will be willing to testify if this hearing happens? I don’t know,” Allred said. “I don’t know if they can still feel like they can trust the system.”
Members of Congress from both parties are rallying behind Melania Trump’s call for action.
California Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said he agreed with holding a public hearing for Epstein’s victims. He called on Kentucky Republican Rep. James Comer, the committee’s chairman, to “schedule a public hearing immediately.”
“We encourage Speaker Comer to respond to the First Lady’s request and immediately schedule a public hearing,” Garcia said.
Comer did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.
South Carolina Republican Rep. Nancy Mace welcomed the first lady’s statement. She wrote in a statement: “As a survivor, this is not political, it is personal and when the First Lady of the United States stands up and demands justice for Epstein’s victims, it is truly momentous.”
