First lady Melania Trump effectively shut down an unrelated question from a CNN reporter Wednesday during a White House event honoring American Israeli Keith Siegel and his wife, Aviva, after the reporter tried to pivot the moment to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
CNN's Betsy Klein asked the first lady about convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell being transferred back to a high-security federal prison. Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence for her role in the sex-trafficking operation run by financier Jeffrey Epstein, who died in custody in 2019 while awaiting trial.
Trump declined to engage, emphasizing that the event was not the time or place for the topic.
"We are here celebrating the release and the life of these two incredible people," she said. "So let's honor that; thank you."
Keith Siegel is a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
On Oct. 7, 2023, he and his wife were abducted by Hamas terrorists during the group's raid on southern Israel that sparked the subsequent war.
Aviva was released in a ceasefire deal in late 2023, but Keith remained in captivity for roughly 484 days under harsh conditions in Gaza before being freed on Feb. 1, 2025, as part of a follow-up hostage release agreement.
Wednesday's event focused on the Siegels' reunion and recovery following Keith Siegel's captivity. Yet some critics on social media sought to link the gathering to the recent release of the first lady's documentary, which features Aviva Siegel and premiered last week.
Trump rejected any suggestion that the event was tied to promotion of the film.
"It has nothing to do with promotion," she said.
The exchange ended without further questions on the Epstein case, and the event continued as planned, centered on honoring the Siegels and their story.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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