Infomastaro

By Gabe Whisnant

Breaking News Editor

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Lisa Phillips, a survivor of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, said that "really good things" could come after Melania Trump called on Congress to hold a public hearing centered on victims of Epstein’s crimes.

Phillips praised the first lady for not making Thursday’s White House statement “all about herself,” as Melania also denied any ties to Epstein and knowledge of his sex crimes during her five-minute announcement.

"I don't know what the power play was, or if there's even one. She said she's not just fed up with what's being said about her, but she's also fed up with how people are treating the victims," Phillips told CNN's Phil Mattingly. "She said there should be public hearings for survivors and have them testify under oath. No one's ever said that."

Phillips continued on The Lead, "Also she said, the testimony (from survivors) should be sworn into congressional record. I think that's huge. It has to be taken seriously."

...

Maria and Annie Farmer, also Epstein survivors, shared the following statement with Newsweek, “We can’t speak for other survivors, but what we want is accountability, transparency, and justice. The federal government has long mismanaged the Epstein investigation by repeatedly ignoring survivors, violating their privacy, and refusing to release the remaining records held by the Department of Justice — including my complete FBI records from 1996. If the federal government is truly committed to supporting survivors, it would ask us what we want and should follow the facts wherever they may lead.”

Newsweek has reached out to the White House via email on Thursday evening for comment.

Melania Trump Calls for Congressional Hearing for Epstein Victims

Melania Trump urged Congress to hold a public hearing focused on survivors of Epstein’s crimes, giving them an opportunity to testify before lawmakers and have their accounts entered into the congressional record.

“Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public if she wishes,” she said. “Then, and only then, we will have the truth.”

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a onetime staunch Trump ally who later broke publicly with the president and resigned from Congress, praised Melania Trump for her remarks on Epstein. In a post on X, the Georgia Republican said she was “grateful to the First Lady for her brave statement today about Epstein and his victims.”

Democrats also welcomed the first lady’s call for a congressional hearing. Representative Robert Garcia of California, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee investigating the Epstein case, urged the panel’s Republican chair, Representative James Comer of Kentucky, to convene a public hearing “immediately.”

Representative Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, who sponsored legislation that led to the release of millions of Epstein-related documents, shifted attention back to the Justice Department, arguing that responsibility for survivor testimony rests with the attorney general. Massie, who has repeatedly called for additional prosecutions in the case, punctuated one social media post with a single word: “PROSECUTE!”

Questions surrounding Epstein’s network have lingered over the Trump administration and exposed divisions within the Republican Party, at times straining Trump’s political base as some allies pressed for further disclosures and criminal accountability.

The controversy has also fractured some of Trump’s former alliances, including with Greene, once among his most reliable supporters in Congress. Trump at one point dismissed scrutiny of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax,” before later signing legislation requiring the release of records tied to the investigation.

Where do the Epstein Investigations Stand?

The Justice Department has said it has largely completed its criminal investigation into Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021, and has released millions of pages of records under the Epstein Files Transparency Act while continuing to redact material to protect victim privacy and any ongoing matters.

Congress, however, has pursued its own investigation, with the House Oversight Committee issuing subpoenas, taking closed‑door testimony from high‑profile figures — including former President Bill Clinton — and seeking access to unredacted files amid concerns that powerful individuals may have been shielded from scrutiny.

On Wednesday, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle warned Wednesday that former Attorney General Pam Bondi must still testify before the House Oversight Committee, despite the Department of Justice's argument that her subpoena no longer counts.

The announcement earlier Wednesday that she would no longer appear before the committee on April 14 over the Epstein files sparked outrage among some lawmakers, with warnings that she could face contempt of Congress charges.

Updates: 4/9/26, 7:42 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.

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