Former First Lady Melania Trump has threatened to sue Hunter Biden for defamation, demanding $1 billion in damages and a public retraction of his claim that disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump. The legal threat escalates tensions between prominent political families and raises questions about the boundaries of public figures’ responses to personal allegations.
Who: The parties involved include Melania Trump (plaintiff), Hunter Biden (defendant), and their respective legal teams. The dispute originates from comments made by Hunter Biden during an interview with British journalist Andrew Callaghan.
What: Through her lawyer Alejandro Brito, Melania Trump issued a formal legal notice demanding Hunter Biden retract his “false, defamatory, disparaging, and inflammatory statements” about her alleged connection to Epstein. The letter specifically references Biden’s claim that Epstein introduced Melania to Donald Trump, which she states caused “overwhelming financial and reputational harm.”
When: The legal notice was dated August 6, 2025, but became public on August 13-14 when major news outlets obtained and reported on the document. Hunter Biden’s original interview containing the disputed remarks aired earlier in August.
Where: The conflict plays out primarily in legal and media arenas. Melania Trump’s legal team operates from New York, while the interview triggering the dispute was recorded for a digital media platform. The potential lawsuit would likely be filed in a U.S. district court.
Why: Melania Trump asserts the Epstein introduction claim is categorically false, maintaining she met Donald Trump through modeling agent Paolo Zampolli at a 1998 New York Fashion Week event. Her legal team argues Biden’s repetition of this allegation constitutes defamation, particularly damaging given Epstein’s criminal conviction for sex trafficking and association with high-profile figures.
How: The legal strategy mirrors Donald Trump’s frequent use of litigation against critics. The letter gives Hunter Biden a deadline to publicly retract the statements and issue an apology. Failure to comply will result in a lawsuit seeking damages exceeding $1 billion – an unusually high amount for defamation cases. Legal experts note public figures face significant hurdles proving actual malice in such cases.
Impact: This development intensifies the already fraught relationship between the Trump and Biden families during a contentious election cycle. Media outlets like The Daily Beast have already retracted similar reporting about the Trumps and Epstein after receiving legal complaints. The threat could chill public discussion about powerful figures’ associations with convicted criminals.
What’s next: Hunter Biden and his attorney Abbe Lowell must decide whether to comply with the retraction demand or prepare for litigation. If the case proceeds, it would likely involve depositions examining the origins of the Epstein introduction claim and require Biden to prove he didn’t act with actual malice. The outcome could set precedents for defamation suits between public figures.