Ex-Trump Communications Aide Shares Bold Opinion on Melania Trump’s Epstein Remarks That Amuses CNN Anchor

In a striking commentary, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham weighed in on Melania Trump’s unexpected press conference addressing her connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

During the Thursday event, the first lady sought to clarify her relationship with Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, asserting her distance from both figures while advocating for a congressional hearing for survivors of abuse. This comes in light of a recently released 2002 email exchange between Trump, then known as Knauss, and Maxwell, which revealed a friendly rapport.

Reports indicate that President Donald Trump was unaware of his wife's intention to mention Epstein during her remarks, a claim that Grisham found hard to believe.

“I’m calling BS on the president saying he knew nothing about it,” Grisham stated during her appearance on CNN with Phil Mattingly. “At the very least, I imagine she would have given him a heads-up if she had sent an advisory out yesterday.”

Mattingly probed further, asking, “Is there anything he could do if she gave a heads-up and he didn’t want it to happen?”

“Absolutely not,” Grisham replied, eliciting laughter from Mattingly.

Grisham continued, “She is — I mean, I feel like I’m reverting to my talking points from when I was her comms director and chief of staff, but it’s the truth.”

“She’s a very strong, very independent woman. When she feels compelled to act and believes it’s the right thing to do, she will proceed regardless of anyone’s opinion—be it her husband or advisers,” she elaborated.

When asked about the timing of the first lady's decision to speak out, Grisham admitted uncertainty but speculated that her press team might have been responding to inquiries or that Melania simply grew weary of the ongoing speculation.

“She gets really tired of being dragged into some of her husband’s more questionable dealings and then — she will speak out,” Grisham noted.

The former press secretary emphasized that Melania “considers everything she does” and acts “very strategically,” suggesting that she was fully aware that her press conference would create significant buzz.