Melania Trump’s Former Top Aide Calls ‘bs’ On Trump Not Knowing About First Lady’s Epstein Statement

Stephanie Grisham, first woman Melania Trump’s erstwhile main of staff, told CNN connected Thursday that she believes President Donald Trump was lying erstwhile he said he did not cognize his wife would springiness an address discussing Jeffrey Epstein.

“I’m gonna say, I telephone BS connected our president saying he knew thing astir it, because astatine nan very slightest I ideate [Melania Trump] would person fixed him a heads up if she had sent an advisory retired yesterday,” Grisham said connected CNN’s The Lead.

On Thursday, nan first woman gave a White House address denying that she had immoderate connections to Epstein and insisting that immoderate claims to nan contrary "need to extremity today."

Melania Trump said that she was not a unfortunate of Epstein and said they only concisely "crossed paths" successful 2000 but noted that they had overlapping societal circles.

She besides called for Congress to let nan Epstein survivors to testify.

The announcement caught reporters and nan nationalist off-guard and led to speculation that nan first woman was trying to get up of an upcoming story. The president was apparently unaware that she'd speak connected Epstein, telling MS NOW newsman Jacqueline Alemany that he did not cognize nan taxable of her reside up of time.

It was that connection that Grisham claimed was "BS."

She besides said nan first lady's remarks were apt not off-the-cuff, claiming she’s typically very strategical successful her communications.

"Melania Trump thinks astir everything she does, and she thinks astir it for a very agelong time, and she does things very strategically. She knew afloat good that stepping retired location into nan White House residence, down that podium for illustration that, would make absolute waves,” Grisham said. “And truthful she chose this clip — again, I don't cognize why... But she chose this very specifically and she decidedly thought connected it for a fewer days.”

Grisham said she had nary thought why Melania Trump chose Thursday to make her statement.

“I don‘t cognize why,” she said. “Perhaps again, it‘s a story, aliases she conscionable sewage an inquiry, aliases she saw thing obscure that cipher other did see. And it conscionable made her upset.”

When asked if Trump could person stopped nan first woman from speaking retired moreover if he'd wanted to, Grisham said "absolutely not."

"She's a very strong, very independent woman," Grisham said.

Documents show nan first woman emailing Maxwell successful 2002 successful a connection signed “Love, Melania.”

Her connection “cannot beryllium categorized arsenic thing much than casual correspondence,” according to nan first lady.

“The lies linking maine pinch nan disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein request to extremity today,” she said Thursday.

The first lady's existent adviser, Marc Beckman, said nan nationalist needs to "refocus" distant from Epstein and alternatively attraction connected Melania Trump's accomplishments.

"First, capable is enough," Beckman said during a Friday section of Fox & Friends. "This has been ongoing, and it's clip for nan nationalist to refocus their attraction connected what achievements our first woman has done."

He continued, saying nan first woman has been "helping group complete and complete again."

"Americans are benefiting from her efforts, group successful nan foster attraction community, group from an acquisition perspective. Her achievements person been truthful wide," he said.

Whether its international, pinch nan Russian and Ukrainian reunifications and beyond, and we want to attraction nan attraction connected her bully activity and what she's accomplished arsenic first lady."

The Independent has requested remark from nan White House.