Daily Beast Walks Back Explosive Epstein Allegation About Melania Trump
The Daily Beast has been forced to retract an eyebrow-raising story linking former First Lady Melania Trump to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — after her legal team swiftly stepped in.
The now-pulled article, originally published Wednesday, cited controversial author Michael Wolff’s remarks in a podcast interview, where he alleged Melania had close ties to Epstein’s circle and first met Donald Trump through ID Models founder Paolo Zampolli — a figure connected to both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.
But following a cease-and-desist-style letter from Mrs. Trump’s attorney, the outlet admitted it had crossed the line. In an editor’s note now replacing the article, the Daily Beast stated it “received a letter from First Lady Melania Trump’s attorney challenging the headline and framing of the article.” The note continued, “After reviewing the matter, the Beast has taken down the article and apologizes for any confusion or misunderstanding.”
Wolff’s sensational claims — which remain viewable in the original podcast video on The Daily Beast’s YouTube channel — suggested Melania was “very involved” in Epstein’s social web and even claimed her first intimate encounter with Trump occurred aboard Epstein’s private jet.
The false report adds fuel to the ongoing controversy surrounding Epstein’s connections to powerful elites, especially after the DOJ and FBI announced in early July that Epstein’s 2019 death was ruled a suicide and that no so-called client list exists.
Former President Donald Trump has long denied wrongdoing, previously telling reporters he banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago after learning he had allegedly targeted young women working at the club — including then-17-year-old Virginia Giuffre, who accused Epstein of trafficking her.
As Wolff’s unverified claims swirl, the former First Lady is clearly signaling that she won’t tolerate attempts to rewrite her history — especially not with Epstein’s name in the headline.
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