Hunter Biden has declined to issue an apology to First Lady Melania Trump following her threat of a billion-dollar defamation lawsuit concerning allegations tying her to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. The disagreement intensified on Thursday, August 14, when Biden delivered a profanity-laden response to the First Lady’s demand for a retraction.
The legal dispute began with comments Biden made during an August 5 interview with YouTube host Andrew Callaghan. In the interview, Biden alleged that Epstein introduced Melania Trump to her future husband, President Donald Trump, in the late 1990s. He attributed this claim to author Michael Wolff, known for his critical biographies of the president.
On August 6, Melania Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, sent a letter to Biden and his lawyer Abbe Lowell, demanding a prompt retraction of what he termed false, defamatory, and highly salacious statements. The letter warned of legal action seeking more than one billion dollars in damages if Biden did not comply by August 7 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
During a subsequent interview with Callaghan, Biden responded calmly when asked if he would apologize. “(expletive) that, that’s not going to happen,” he said, dismissing the First Lady’s demands outright.
Biden defended his initial statements by referencing media reports from as far back as 2019. He cited reporting by The New York Times journalists Annie Karni and Maggie Haberman, who he claimed reported that sources said Epstein professed to have introduced the couple. Biden also referred to Michael Wolff’s interviews with Epstein as the basis for his allegations.
The former first son described the lawsuit threat as a strategic diversion rather than a genuine legal action. He questioned how the introduction allegation could amount to defamation and suggested the Trumps were acting as bullies, assuming the billion-dollar figure would intimidate him.
President Trump confirmed on Thursday morning that he had supported his wife’s legal action against Biden. Speaking to Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade, Trump indicated he encouraged Melania to move forward with the lawsuit and offered to allow her to use his legal team. The president dismissed any connection between Epstein and his wife’s introduction to him, labeling Biden’s claims as fabricated stories meant to disparage the First Lady.
The First Lady’s legal letter accused Biden of having a longstanding history of exploiting others’ names and repeating incendiary claims to garner attention. Brito argued that Biden’s statements had been extensively disseminated across various digital platforms and republished by media outlets with substantial followings, causing significant financial and reputational harm to the First Lady.
Biden suggested that the legal threat could provide an opportunity for depositions. He indicated he would welcome the chance for President Trump and the First Lady to clarify under oath the nature of their relationship with Epstein and his associates during the period of their meeting.
The Trumps have consistently stated that they met through Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agent, at a New York Fashion Week event in 1998. Melania Trump recounted this version in her memoir titled “Melania,” describing how she declined to give Trump her phone number during their first encounter because he was with another date.
This dispute is part of a broader pattern of legal threats by the Trump family against critics. The Daily Beast previously retracted an article making similar claims about Melania Trump’s connection to Epstein after receiving a legal notice from her attorney. Political strategist James Carville also apologized after making comparable statements on his podcast.
Legal experts note that public figures like the Trumps face substantial challenges in winning defamation lawsuits. To successfully prove defamation against public figures, it is generally necessary to demonstrate actual malice or a reckless disregard for the truth.
Nick Clemens, a spokesperson for Melania Trump, issued a statement indicating that the First Lady’s attorneys are actively pursuing immediate retractions and apologies from those spreading what he described as malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The statement directed readers to the First Lady’s memoir for the accurate account of how she met President Trump.
