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A carefully choreographed White House appearance took an uncomfortable turn when an unexpected question shifted the focus away from its intended purpose. The exchange quickly drew attention online and overshadowed the day’s message.
What followed left the First Lady visibly eager to move on.
Press conference tension
Melania Trump appeared flustered during a White House press conference on Wednesday after being questioned about Ghislaine Maxwell, according to The Express.
The First Lady was attending the event alongside former Hamas hostages Aviva and Keith Siegel, who were thanking the Trump administration for its role in efforts to secure the release of captives.
When journalists were invited to ask questions, one reporter asked Mrs Trump about Maxwell, the former associate of Jeffrey Epstein who is serving a 20-year sentence at a federal prison in Florida.
The reporter also asked what she believed should happen amid calls for Maxwell to be transferred to a high-security facility.
As the question was asked, someone nearby could be heard attempting to shut it down by repeatedly saying, “Thank you, press”.
Swift deflection
Melania Trump avoided addressing the substance of the question, instead redirecting attention to the purpose of the event.
“We are here to celebrate the release and the life of those two incredible people. Let’s honour that,” she said.
The brief response appeared designed to close the topic, and no follow-up questions on Maxwell were taken.
Second awkward exchange
The moment was followed by another uncomfortable interaction. A reporter asked the First Lady whether it was appropriate to “use an official White House event to promote your movie”.
“This is not a promotion,” Mrs Trump replied. Despite the denial, she referenced her recently released documentary several times during the press conference.
The exchange added to perceptions online that the event had veered off script.
Renewed scrutiny
The questions came amid renewed attention on Jeffrey Epstein following the recent release of millions of documents linked to the case. President Donald Trump’s name has appeared in some of the material, prompting renewed scrutiny of past social ties.
Old photographs showing the Trumps with Epstein and Maxwell have resurfaced, along with an alleged 2002 email exchange said to involve Melania Trump and Maxwell. The authenticity of the emails has not been independently verified.
President Trump has repeatedly said he cut off contact with Epstein in 2007.
Sources: The Express
