Melania Trump Confronted About Ghislaine Maxwell’s Alleged Prison Treatment in Awkward Press Conference Exchange

First lady Melania Trump faced an unexpected question about Ghislaine Maxwell’s alleged prison treatment during a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 4, creating a tense moment as the event focused on former hostages Keith Siegel and his wife, Aviva.

Trump appeared alongside the Siegels, who were freed after being held in Gaza. Keith Siegel, an American-Israeli, was released a year ago after spending more than 480 days in captivity following the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, when he and Aviva were taken from their home in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Aviva was also captured and later released during a temporary cease-fire in November 2023, according to the Associated Press.

During the briefing, a reporter asked Trump about calls from Jeffrey Epstein survivors urging that Maxwell be moved to a high-security prison. Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021 for her role in recruiting and grooming victims for Epstein and is serving a 20-year sentence at the low-security Federal Prison Camp (FPC) in Bryan, Texas.

“There’s a call from many Epstein survivors that Ghislaine Maxwell move to a high security prison. Do you know why that happened?” the reporter asked.

Trump did not address the question directly. “We are here celebrating the release and the life of these two incredible people, so let’s honor that,” she replied.

Calls for Maxwell’s relocation have intensified in recent months after a whistleblower alleged she has received favorable treatment behind bars, according to Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. In a statement, lawmakers claimed staff have been waiting on her “hand and foot.”

The whistleblower alleged that Maxwell has received meals that were “customized and prepared by federal prison camp staff and then personally delivered to her in her cell by longtime federal employees.” Additional claims included being allowed access to recreation areas after hours and having visitors routed through a “special cordoned off area,” complete with snacks and refreshments for her guests.

In another alleged incident, the whistleblower said an inmate involved in training puppies was told to provide one to Maxwell temporarily so she could “play with the puppy,” despite usual restrictions that reportedly prevent inmates and staff from petting service dogs in training.

Separately, NBC News and CBS News have reported that Maxwell has sought a commutation from President Donald Trump.

At the same event, Melania Trump spoke about her prior meeting with the Siegels and said it appears in her documentary, Melania.

“After Aviva was freed, she called me, wanted to see me and we set up a meeting in New York,” the first lady said as she sat with the couple in the White House’s Blue Room. “It was an emotional meeting, and it is captured on camera and available to see in my film, Melania.”

When asked whether it was appropriate to mention the reported $40 million Amazon MGM Studios project at an official White House event, Trump pushed back. “This is not a promotion,” she said.

“We are here celebrating the release of the hostages, of Aviva and Keith,” she added. “They were in Washington, D.C., and they called me. They said they would like to come over to thank me and to give hugs, and that’s why we are here. It’s nothing to do with promotion.”

Melania is now in theaters.