Trump matchmaker says he’ll testify about how the president really met Melania - BERITAJA

Ambassador Paolo Zampolli, the Italian-American diplomat credited pinch introducing Donald Trump to his then-soon-to-be wife, Melania Knauss, said he is fresh to attest earlier Congress nether oath about really the mates first met. His remarks came aft the First Lady delivered a uncommon nationalist connection astatine the White House denying claims linking her to Jeffrey Epstein.

“I’m fresh to attest successful Congress, successful beforehand of Congress, to opportunity who introduced the First Lady and I’m fresh to moreover bring different 50 witnesses to opportunity they were coming that night,” Zampolli told the Daily Mail successful a telephone interview. “The full world knows this. This is aged news.”

Zampolli said successful consequence to Melania Trump’s connection from the Grand Foyer, wherever she rejected claims that Epstein introduced her to her husband.

The matchmaker’s story

Zampolli, who moved to the United States and founded a modeling agency, became adjacent friends pinch Trump and later introduced him to Melania.

Before that, Melania worked successful Paris and Milan pursuing modeling opportunities. Zampolli later hired her and sponsored her move to the United States successful 1996. She lived successful his building astatine Zeckendorf Towers and he introduced her to Trump astatine a September 1998 party.

At the time, Trump publically credited Zampolli for the introduction. According to NewsNation’s Paula Froelich, Trump called the New York Post, he said Zampolli had introduced them. Froelich besides said Zampolli repeated that declare to her aggregate times.

The wide accepted relationship is that the brace met done Zampolli astatine a 1998 Fashion Week statement successful Manhattan. Trump was still legally joined to Marla Maples, though separated and was connected a day pinch different female erstwhile he asked for Melania’s number. She declined to springiness hers but accepted his.

In his interview, Zampolli besides addressed Epstein directly.

“They met randomly, they met socially — everybody knew Epstein,” he said, adding, “I’m successful the files, you know?”

Melania’s bombshell statement

In her remarks, Melania said she “never had a relationship” pinch Epstein aliases his subordinate Ghislaine Maxwell. The connection lasted about 3 minutes and included nary questions from reporters.

“I americium not Epstein’s victim,” she said. “Epstein did not present maine to Donald Trump.”

She besides called connected Congress to springiness Epstein’s victims a platform.

“Epstein was not alone,” she said. “I telephone connected Congress to supply the women who person been victimized by Epstein pinch a nationalist proceeding specifically centered about the survivors. Give these victims their opportunity to attest nether oath successful beforehand of Congress.”

Several aides watched from the Grand Foyer, though immoderate were unaware of what she planned to say.

People acquainted pinch her reasoning said she wanted to respond straight to ongoing rumors. Her ineligible squad had antecedently handled those claims, but this marked a displacement arsenic she chose to speak publicly.

Senior advisor Marc Beckman said that the connection came because “enough is enough” and “the lies must stop.”

Zampolli’s ties to Epstein acknowledged

Zampolli acknowledged that his sanction appears successful Epstein-related documents. The New York Times reported his sanction surfaced successful relationship pinch an unrelated matter involving his ex-girlfriend.

The study besides said some Zampolli and his ex Amanda Ungaro knew Epstein and had discussed buying a modeling agency pinch him. In a 2011 email to an Emirati businessman, Epstein wrote, “Be careful, [Zampolli] is trouble. Lots. He sells stories to the press.”

Zampolli dismissed immoderate nexus betwixt his past narration and Melania’s statement.

“There’s nary way. This is the First Lady of the United States. Do you deliberation she cares about my ex?” he said.

Melania Trump’s remarks came a time aft the Justice Department said erstwhile Attorney General Pam Bondi would not look earlier the House Oversight Committee complete her handling of Epstein-related documents.