Danielle Bensky, a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein, has expressed concerns that first lady Melania Trump’s recent remarks appeared to blame victims during a surprise statement on Thursday, where she dissociated herself from Epstein.
“I heard blame be placed on survivors in this,” Bensky shared with MS NOW’s Ana Cabrera on Friday. “It seems that the responsibility is now on survivors to speak before Congress. In reality, we’ve been advocating for thorough investigations and proper legal proceedings from the beginning.”
At the press event, the first lady advocated for a congressional hearing for survivors while addressing rumors regarding her ties to Epstein and his jailed associate, Ghislaine Maxwell.
“Allow these victims the chance to testify under oath before Congress, with the authority of sworn testimony,” she urged reporters. “Every woman should have the opportunity to publicly share her story if she chooses, and her testimony should be permanently recorded in the congressional record.”
Following her statement, more than a dozen Epstein survivors accused the first lady of “placing the burden on survivors under politically charged conditions that shield those in power,” in a statement released Thursday.
Bensky echoed this sentiment during her conversation on MS Now, telling Cabrera that she “feels like this administration is often a master class in the art of deflection, right?”
She pointed out that Melania Trump’s comments were “in direct conflict with statements” from acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, who indicated that the “Epstein files should not be part of any future actions by the Justice Department.”
“We are completely taken aback and trying to figure out our next steps, but the responsibility needs to be on the DOJ,” Bensky said. “The FBI and DOJ need to fulfill their duties.”
Bensky also cautioned about the risks of testifying before Congress, emphasizing to Cabrera that “survivor safety should be paramount, and it’s something this administration doesn’t seem to prioritize.”
“Currently, there are no safety measures or procedures in place, which is why we’ve been advocating for the release of the files,” she added. “We’ve been seeking transparency to pursue investigative leads, as we need to initiate the investigations.”
