On 13/8, Fox News reported that lawyers for former first lady Melania Trump sent Hunter Biden, son of former president Joe Biden, a legal notice regarding "false, defamatory, and inflammatory statements" he made during an interview. This serves as an initial step indicating the intent to file a lawsuit.
In the interview posted on YouTube earlier this month, Hunter Biden stated that the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein "introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump". "That's how the president and first lady met," Hunter Biden claimed, adding that Melania Trump's relationship with Epstein was "very close".
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Former first lady Melania Trump at the White House on 11/7. Photo: AFP |
Former first lady Melania Trump at the White House on 11/7. Photo: AFP
In the legal notice sent to Hunter Biden and his lawyer on 6/8, Melania Trump's attorney, Alejandro Brito, demanded that Hunter Biden immediately retract the statements and issue a public apology. Failure to comply would result in a lawsuit seeking damages for "substantial financial and reputational harm".
"The interview has been republished by numerous media outlets, journalists, and political commentators, disseminating the false and defamatory statements to tens of millions of people worldwide," Brito stated.
Brito asserts that Hunter Biden's statements stem from "false information" published by author Michael Wolff on the Daily Beast, which subsequently retracted the article and apologized to Melania Trump.
"If you fail to comply with the above by 5 PM on 7/8, Mrs. Trump will have no choice but to exercise her legal and equitable rights, including filing a lawsuit seeking damages in excess of USD 1 billion," Brito wrote in the notice.
A source told Fox News that Hunter Biden did not meet the deadline and also revealed the contents of the legal letter to a reporter.
Neither Hunter Biden nor his lawyer has commented on these reports.
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Hunter Biden in Los Angeles, California in September 2024. Photo: AFP |
Hunter Biden in Los Angeles, California in September 2024. Photo: AFP
Epstein, born in 1953, was an American financier. He was prosecuted in 2006 following an FBI and Florida police investigation. Two years later, he reached a plea deal with the state court to avoid federal charges that could have led to a more severe prison sentence. Epstein pleaded guilty to two felony counts, including soliciting a minor for prostitution, and served 13 months in jail.
In July 2019, Epstein was arrested in New York on charges of sex trafficking involving dozens of underage girls, some as young as 14. He faced 45 years in prison if convicted.
Epstein denied all charges and was held at the Manhattan Correctional Center in New York. However, while awaiting trial, he died by suicide in his cell in August 2019.
Donald Trump was once a friend of Epstein, but he has denied visiting the financier's private island in the US Virgin Islands, where the alleged crimes took place. On 29/7, Trump said Epstein had "solicited" young women for employment at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which led to the end of their relationship years prior.
Huyen Le (According to Fox News, Newsweek)
