BREAKING: Melania Trump Subpoenaed in Expanding Epstein Probe

The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena compelling former first lady Melania Trump to testify as part of its ongoing investigation into the late financier Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking network, according to congressional sources familiar with the matter. The move, which has not been formally announced by the committee but is expected to be detailed in coming days, follows a series of leaked materials purportedly originating from European-based hackers and intensifying public and political pressure on the Trump administration.

The subpoena arrives amid a fractious congressional probe that has already ensnared Attorney General Pam Bondi, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Committee Democrats, led by Ranking Member Robert Garcia of California, have long pressed for broader scrutiny of individuals with documented social ties to Epstein, including the Trump family.

While no public evidence directly implicates Mrs. Trump in Epstein’s criminal activities, newly released Justice Department files and online leaks have revived questions about her acquaintances in elite Palm Beach circles during the late 1990s and early 2000s. The catalyst for the latest escalation appears to be a cache of images and documents that surfaced online earlier this month, allegedly obtained by hackers operating from Eastern Europe.

The materials, which circulated rapidly on social media platforms and fringe websites, include purported photographs from social events at Mar-a-Lago and emails referencing mutual acquaintances in Epstein’s orbit. Authentication of the files remains uncertain; cybersecurity experts have described them as a mix of previously public images and unverified scans that could have been manipulated or taken out of context. The White House dismissed the leaks as “fabricated disinformation” intended to undermine the president.

Multiple online petitions, some garnering hundreds of thousands of signatures, have called for Mrs. Trump’s appearance before the committee, citing the Supreme Court’s recent ruling narrowing the scope of presidential immunity in certain civil and investigative contexts. Legal scholars note that the decision, while primarily addressing official acts, has emboldened congressional investigators to pursue peripheral figures in high-profile probes without fear of immediate executive-branch obstruction.

Mrs. Trump, who has maintained a relatively low public profile since returning to the White House, has never been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein. Public records show she attended events where Epstein was present in the years before his 2008 Florida conviction, including gatherings at Mar-a-Lago, where Epstein was once a member. Newly unsealed Epstein files from the Justice Department include friendly correspondence involving Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s convicted associate, and references to Melania Trump in social contexts from 2002.

One document from an Epstein assistant claimed Epstein played a role in introducing the future first lady to Donald Trump, though that assertion has been disputed by Trump allies who credit fashion-industry connections. The Oversight Committee, chaired by Representative James Comer, Republican of Kentucky, has framed its Epstein inquiry as a bipartisan effort to promote transparency following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, signed by President Trump last year.

Republicans on the panel have emphasized scrutiny of Democratic figures, including the Clintons, while Democrats have accused the Justice Department of selectively withholding materials related to the president. In recent weeks, bipartisan frustration over incomplete document releases led to subpoenas for Bondi, who is scheduled to appear for deposition next month.

A White House spokeswoman declined to comment on the subpoena but reiterated that the administration has cooperated extensively with congressional requests, releasing thousands of pages and supporting further probes into Epstein’s associates. “The president has done more for victims than any prior leader,” the spokeswoman said, pointing to executive actions on transparency.

Legal experts anticipate that Mrs. Trump’s lawyers will challenge the subpoena, potentially arguing that her testimony would be duplicative of already available records or that it infringes on spousal privileges. If enforced, her appearance could occur in a closed-door deposition before a public hearing, similar to those conducted with the Clintons.

The development underscores the enduring shadow cast by Epstein’s crimes more than a decade after his death in federal custody. As the 2026 midterm elections approach, the probe risks further polarizing an already divided Congress and public, with both parties accusing the other of weaponizing the scandal for political gain