A newly released tranche of federal records tied to Jeffrey Epstein has drawn renewed attention after an email exchange between Melania Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell surfaced in the latest disclosure by the U.S. Department of Justice. The correspondence, dated 2002, appears among more than three million additional pages released under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, expanding a public archive that continues to shed light on Epstein's social network.
The email, sent years before Melania Trump married Donald Trump, is described in reporting as the first written communication between Melania and Maxwell included in the federal files. While the exchange contains no criminal allegations, its tone and timing have sparked online discussion because of Maxwell's later conviction and central role in Epstein's trafficking operation.
In the message, Melania, then known as Melania Knauss, addressed Maxwell warmly. "Dear G! How are you?" she wrote, before adding: "Nice story about JE in NY mag. You look great in the picture." The email references travel between Palm Beach and New York and concludes with an invitation to reconnect. "I cannot wait to go down. Give me a call when you are back in NY. Have a great time!" she wrote, signing off: "Love, Melania."
Maxwell replied in similarly familiar terms, addressing Melania as "sweet pea." In her response, Maxwell explained that travel plans had shifted. "Plans changed again and I am now on my way back to NY," she wrote, adding that she would try to call before leaving again later that week.
The exchange dates to a period when Epstein remained active in elite social circles and before his 2008 conviction in Florida. Maxwell is now serving a 20-year federal prison sentence following her conviction on sex trafficking-related charges connected to Epstein's abuse of underage girls.
The resurfacing of the email has attracted attention not because of its substance, but because it underscores how casually Epstein and Maxwell interacted with prominent figures during the early 2000s. Summaries of the release noted that the message predates Melania Trump's 2005 marriage and reflects a time when Epstein's reputation had not yet collapsed publicly.
The latest document dump was mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required the Justice Department to release unclassified records tied to Epstein and his associates. According to the department, the disclosure includes emails, photographs, videos and other materials, bringing the total volume of publicly available Epstein-related records to more than 3.5 million pages.
The pace and scope of the releases have drawn political scrutiny, with some critics accusing federal authorities of delays in meeting statutory deadlines. The disclosures have also reignited broader debate over transparency, privacy and the public interest in examining Epstein's far-reaching social connections.
While the 2002 email does not suggest wrongdoing, it has become another data point in a growing record that illustrates the breadth of Epstein's relationships before his arrest and death in 2019. As additional files continue to emerge, each new detail has the potential to reshape public understanding of how deeply Epstein's network extended into elite social and political worlds.
