Melania Trump vows to sue Hunter Biden for $1 billion over Epstein comments. But what are her links with the late sex offender?

Melania Trump has threatened to sue Hunter Biden for $1 billion for defamation over his comments linking the US First Lady to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But in reality, the former model turned wife of US President Donald Trump is not completely in the clear yet when it comes to her links with Epstein and her jailed associate Ghislaine Maxwell. She had been photographed with both of them a couple of decades ago. Here is the real situation that you should know.

What did Hunter Biden claim about Melania Trump and Jeffrey Epstein?

In an interview this month on Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan titled "Hunter Biden Returns," the son of the Democratic ex-president Joe Biden claimed: “Epstein introduced Melania to Trump. The connections are, like, so wide and deep.”

He cited Trump biographer Michael Wolff as the source of his remarks.

What did Melania Trump’s legal team tell Hunter Biden over Epstein remarks?

Melania Trump's attorney Alejandro Brito sent Hunter Biden a legal notice, demanding a retraction and public apology, calling his statement “false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory.”

Brito said Hunter's remarks caused “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” as they were widely disseminated throughout various digital media.

“The video has since been re-published by various media outlets, journalists, and political commentators with millions of social media followers who have disseminated the false and defamatory statements therein to tens of millions of people worldwide.

“Failure to comply will leave Mrs Trump with no choice but to pursue any and all legal rights and remedies available to her to recover the overwhelming financial and reputational harm that you have caused her to suffer," Brito wrote.

What did Michael Wolff claim about Melania Trump and Jeffrey Epstein?

Michael Wolff, a journalist-author who Brito called a “serial fabulist,” wrote in his biography of Donald Trump, Landslide, that it was Epstein who introduced Melania to Trump. He doubled down on this claim in a 2017 Daily Beast interview. Wolff even quoted Epstein as allegedly saying that the first time Trump and Melania “slept together was on my plane.” He also claimed Melania was introduced to Trump via Paolo Zampolli, a modelling agent, and that she was “very involved” in Epstein’s social circles.

How Melania Trump pursued Wolff to retract claims about her links with Epstein

After pressure from Melania's legal team,The Daily Beast on August 1 retracted the original story containing Wolff's claims. Melania’s memoir, Melania, recounts meeting Donald Trump at New York’s Kit Kat Klub in September 1998.

Photographic evidence and known interactions between Melania and Epstein

The only known photo of Melania Trump with Epstein was taken on 12 February 2000 at the Mar-a-Lago resort, also showing Donald Trump and Epstein's now-jailed associate Ghislaine Maxwell. There are a couple of other photos of Melania with Trump and Maxwell, without Epstein. The photo in Mar-a-Lago was from a social gathering. There are no solo photos of Melania and Epstein.

Melania’s response to Epstein allegations

Melania has consistently denied any significant relationship with Epstein and has actively refuted Wolff’s narrative both in her memoir and through legal steps. The $1 billion threat against Hunter Biden marks a significant escalation in defending her reputation amid continuing scrutiny around Maxwell.