Melania Trump says rumours linking her to Epstein 'need to stop'

First Lady Melania Trump has denied connections to Jeffrey Epstein, telling reporters at the White House that any claims linking the two "need to end today".

In a surprise announcement on Thursday, the first lady called for congressional hearings for survivors of Epstein's sex trafficking.

She also denied online rumours that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump, calling them "mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation".

It is unclear what prompted the announcement.

There was no prior indication from her office that she would make a statement on Epstein, and the White House did not share the topic earlier when her remarks were put on its daily schedule.

She said she had not been a victim of Epstein, with whom she only briefly "crossed paths" in 2000.

"I have never had any knowledge of Epstein abuse of his victims," she said. "I was never involved in any capacity. I was not a participant."

She also denied knowing Ghislaine Maxwell, the disgraced financier's jailed associate.

She referred to a 2002 email between her and Maxwell released in the Epstein files, calling it nothing more than "casual correspondence" and a "polite reply".

An email that appears to be the one she referenced, addressed to a "G" - presumed to be Ghislaine Maxwell - includes a compliment on a photograph of "JE" that appeared in New York Magazine and says she "cannot wait" to go to Palm Beach.

The New York Magazine article included quotes from now-President Donald Trump calling Epstein a "terrific guy" and saying "he's a lot of fun to be with".

"It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them on the younger side," he was quoted as saying. "No doubt about it - Jeffrey enjoys his social life."

Melania Trump called on lawmakers to "give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony".

"Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record," she said. "Then, and only then, we will have the truth."

In a statement published soon after she spoke, California Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, the most powerful Democrat on the House Oversight Commitee, said that "we agree with Melania Trump's call for a public hearing".

"We encourage Chairman Comer to respond to the First Lady's request and schedule a public hearing immediately," Garcia added, referring to James Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee.

The first lady's statement is likely to reignite intense public debate over the handling of the justice department's investigation into Epstein and the subsequent release of its files.

While Donald Trump has acknowledged he knew Epstein for a time, he later claimed he expelled him from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach for being a "creep".

The President was mentioned numerous times in the Epstein files, but there is no indication of wrongdoing.