Hunter Biden has declined to apologize to First Lady Melania Trump, following her threat of a billion-dollar defamation lawsuit over claims connecting her to Jeffrey Epstein. The conflict intensified on Thursday, August 14, 2025, when Biden offered a profanity-laced response to the first lady’s request for a retraction.
The legal issue originated from remarks Biden made during an August 5 interview with YouTube host Andrew Callaghan. In that conversation, Biden alleged that Epstein introduced Melania Trump to her future husband, President Donald Trump, in the late 1990s, attributing the claim to author Michael Wolff, known for critical biographies of the president.
On August 6, Melania Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito, sent a letter to Biden and his lawyer Abbe Lowell, demanding a retraction of what he described as false and defamatory statements. The letter threatened legal action seeking damages exceeding one billion dollars if Biden did not comply by August 7 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
In a follow-up interview with Callaghan, Biden responded to the opportunity to apologize by stating, “(Expletive) that, that’s not going to happen,” dismissing the first lady’s demands.
Biden defended his statements by referencing previous media reports from 2019. He cited The New York Times journalists Annie Karni and Maggie Haberman, who reported that sources claimed Epstein introduced the couple. Biden also referred to Michael Wolff’s interviews with Epstein as a primary source for his allegations.
The former first son portrayed the lawsuit threat as a strategic distraction rather than a legitimate legal action. He questioned how the introduction allegation could constitute defamation and suggested the Trumps were trying to intimidate him with the billion-dollar figure.
President Trump confirmed Thursday morning that he supported his wife’s legal action against Biden. Speaking to Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade, Trump indicated he advised Melania to proceed with the lawsuit and offered his legal team for assistance. He dismissed any connection between Epstein and his wife’s introduction to him, calling Biden’s claims fabricated stories intended to demean the first lady.
The first lady’s legal letter accused Biden of exploiting others’ names and repeating inflammatory claims for attention. Brito argued that Biden’s statements had been widely circulated across digital platforms and republished by media outlets, causing significant financial and reputational harm to the first lady.
Biden turned the legal threat into an opportunity for potential depositions. He suggested he would welcome the chance for President Trump and the first lady to clarify under oath their relationship with Epstein during the period they met.
The Trumps have consistently stated they met through Paolo Zampolli, a modeling agent, at a New York Fashion Week event in 1998. Melania Trump detailed this account in her memoir titled “Melania,” where she mentioned declining to give Trump her phone number during their first meeting because he was with another date.
This dispute is part of a broader pattern of legal actions threatened by the Trump family against critics. The Daily Beast previously retracted an article making similar claims about Melania Trump’s connection to Epstein after receiving a legal letter from her attorney. Political strategist James Carville also issued an apology after making comparable statements on his podcast.
Legal experts note that public figures like the Trumps face challenges in succeeding with defamation lawsuits. To prove defamation against public figures, it is generally necessary to show actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth.
Nick Clemens, a spokesperson for Melania Trump, issued a statement indicating the first lady’s attorneys are pursuing immediate retractions and apologies from those spreading what he described as malicious, defamatory falsehoods. The statement directed readers to the first lady’s memoir for the accurate account of how she met President Trump.