Washington, August 15 (Agencies): First Lady Melania Trump has threatened to sue Hunter Biden for more than $1 billion over his claim that she was introduced to her husband, President Donald Trump, by late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a legal letter sent to Biden’s attorney, lawyers for the first lady called the allegation “false, disparaging, defamatory and inflammatory,” demanding an immediate retraction and public apology or face legal action seeking damages exceeding $1 billion. They said the remarks had caused “overwhelming financial and reputational harm” to Mrs. Trump.
Biden, the son of former U.S. President Joe Biden, made the claim earlier this month during an interview with filmmaker Andrew Callaghan. When pressed about the lawsuit threat on Thursday, he refused to apologise, calling it a “designed distraction” and suggesting that if the case proceeded, he would welcome the chance to question both Donald and Melania Trump under oath.
The controversial claim, partially linked to journalist Michael Wolff’s previous reporting, was echoed in a since-removed Daily Beast article. The outlet later retracted the story and apologised after receiving a legal challenge from the first lady’s attorney.
Mrs. Trump’s lawyers accused Biden of relying on unverified information to “draw attention to himself” and reiterated that no evidence exists to support the claim. A 2016 Harper’s Bazaar profile noted the couple met in 1998 at a party hosted by a modelling agency founder — years after Trump’s split from Marla Maples.
The legal dispute comes amid mounting public calls for the release of so-called “Epstein files,” which the FBI and Justice Department maintain contain no incriminating list of associates.