In April 2026, first lady Melania Trump made a surprise statement denying ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In response, a seemingly old image recirculated online purportedly showing her alongside President Donald Trump and Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted child sex trafficker. Some social media users cited the picture as evidence contradicting her statement.
For example, one Bluesky user shared the alleged photograph on April 9 (archived). It appeared to depict Maxwell in a blond wig, standing alongside the Trumps, with one hand on one of Melania's breasts.
Snopes readers also shared the image with us, asking for confirmation of whether or not it was generated using artificial intelligence.
(X user @DavidVargasA18)
Social media users previously posted the alleged photograph of the trio in February (archived) and March 2026, while it also circulated on Threads and Facebook in April.
In short, the above image is a manipulated version of an authentic picture of the Trumps and Maxwell at a party. In the real, original photograph, Maxwell did not have her hand on Melania Trump's chest. In the falsified version circulating online in April 2026, Maxwell's hand was edited and placed there. As such, we rate the image in question as fake.
Google's reverse image search tool revealed the original picture was taken in 2000. That authentic version shows Maxwell and the Trumps standing in the same positions but Maxwell's hand is not on one of Melania's breasts. Tabloid newspapers The Sun and The Daily Mail both reported — in 2019 and 2025, respectively — that the photograph was shot at a Halloween party hosted by model Heidi Klum.
The two publications credited the picture to Coleman-Rayner, a photo agency based in Los Angeles. Coleman-Rayner also hosts the image on its website. The caption reads, "US President Donald Trump is all smiles as he poses with Epstein's alleged madam Ghislaine Maxwell at a hookers and pimps-themed party in a never-before-seen photo obtained by Coleman-Rayner." Snopes contacted the agency to ask how it obtained the photograph. We will update this article if we receive a response.
(Screenshot via The Sun)
The real picture shows Maxwell in the same outfit wearing a blond wig and a leopard print coat but with her arm tucked behind her back.
The altered image circulating online in 2026 contains evidence of manipulation. For example, Maxwell's right hand is still visible behind the folds of her coat, holding what appears to be a bottle, as shown below. The same detail can be seen in the authentic version above. The fake "hand" was added to the image below to make it look like she is grabbing one of Melania Trump's breasts.
(Bluesky user @jerseyboyingeorgia.bsky.social)
According to The Daily Mail, The Sun and Coleman-Rayner, Klum's Halloween party had a "hookers and pimps" theme. However, tabloid publication Bang Showbiz reported in 2022 that the model denied this was the theme, quoting Klum as saying:
Wait, who called my party a 'hookers and pimps' event? That is disturbing and quite rude. I never even have a theme for my parties. It's just a Halloween event. I bet that was the tabloids. Secondly, I was wearing a traditional German dirndl, not dressed like a hooker.
There are multiple authentic images of Melania Trump posing with Maxwell at parties in the early 2000s, as well as evidence of real emails they exchanged.
In April 2026, Melania Trump described her correspondence with Maxwell as "casual." She also said, "I am not Epstein's victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump."
Snopes has reported extensively on fake images and rumors about Melania Trump and her alleged ties to Maxwell and Epstein.