Melania Trump is facing renewed scrutiny after an Epstein allegation tied to how she met Donald Trump resurfaced this week following the circulation of a recorded message attributed to a former associate in the United States. The claim, which directly challenges the long-standing account of the couple's first meeting, has quickly gained traction online but remains contested by those involved.
A resurfaced recording is drawing fresh attention to how Melania Trump and Donald Trump first met. Former model Amanda Ungaro has alleged that Jeffrey Epstein — not Paolo Zampolli — introduced the future first lady to the president in 1998:https://t.co/YEqaoff5M2pic.twitter.com/qAevfTRkh5
Donald and Melania have consistently said they met at a New York City event in 1998, an account backed publicly for years by modelling agent Paolo Zampolli, who has maintained he introduced them. That version of events has largely gone unchallenged in official narratives, even as peripheral speculation about their early social circles has periodically re-emerged.
The latest controversy centres onAmanda Ungaro, a former Brazilian modelwho previously dated Zampolli. In arecorded message that has circulated online, she disputes his account and alleges that Jeffrey Epstein, not Zampolli, was responsible for introducing Melania to Donald Trump.
'Let's tell the public you never was the one introducing Melania to Trump. It was Jeffrey Epstein, as she was escort of Jeffrey Epstein. That's how she met Donald Trump,' Ungaro said in the recording.
Amanda Ungaro is claiming that Melania was an Escort for Epstein and that is how she met Trump. Video from@anthon7yandrewshttps://t.co/VwVk8E1ybrpic.twitter.com/jUrokbikkN
She further claimed that this version of events was not new to her, adding that during their relationship Zampolli had allegedly told her the same account. 'And I know, because I was with you 20 years and you always told me it was not you — it was Jeffrey Epstein,' she said.
The recording itself has not been independently verified beyond its circulation, and no supporting documentation or corroborating testimony has been presented publicly. That uncertainty has not slowed its spread, particularly given the enduring public interest in Epstein's network and associations.
Zampolli has rejected the allegation outright. Speaking to The Daily Beast, he described the claim as 'a disgrace' and defended Melania Trump. He also questioned Ungaro's credibility, saying he was concerned about her wellbeing and suggesting she required professional help.
The dispute between the two is not limited to competing narratives. Zampolli and Ungaro have been involved in legal conflict, including a 2025 case in which he sought her deportation to Brazil while she was detained in Miami on fraud charges linked to a custody dispute involving their child. That context complicates the reliability of the claims and raises questions about motive, though it does not in itself disprove the allegation.
Source: International Business Times UK
