First lady Melania Trump received another apology over what she says are false allegations linking her to late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
“HarperCollins UK recently published a book by Andrew Lownie titled ‘Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York.’ We have, in consultation with the author, removed several passages of the book that referenced unverified claims about the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump,” publisher HarperCollins UK wrote in a statement.
These passages alleged that Epstein introduced Melania to President Donald Trump, her future husband, in 1998. She has responded to these allegations and others with demands to stop spreading misinformation.
Lownie wrote the book as a biography of Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II’s second son and the Duke of York. Andrew has a storied history with Epstein, as his name appears multiple times on Epstein’s flight logs. Lownie is a renowned biographer and is the president of the Biographers Club. He also sits on the board of the Biographers International Organisation.
“Copies of the book that include those references are being permanently removed from distribution,” the publisher wrote. “HarperCollins UK apologizes to the First Lady.”
A HarperCollins UK spokesperson told the Washington Examiner these passages will remain in other editions.
“‘Entitled’ is published in the UK by HarperCollins. In the US the book is self-published by Mr. Lownie,” the spokesperson said.
HarperCollins Publishers UK would not comment on audiobook editions in the United States.
According to Lownie’s website, Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York “immediately shot to no 1 on Amazon.co.uk and no 1 overall on the Sunday Times bestseller list” upon its release on Aug. 14. It is also listed as a “#1 Bestseller” on Amazon.
Alterations to the book came four days after its initial release. However, the apology to the first lady was made on Tuesday.
She shared the statement on her X account on Tuesday. HarperCollins follows the Daily Beast and Democratic commentator James Carville in issuing apologies for repeating the claim that Epstein was tied to the Trumps’ meeting.
Hunter Biden, however, has refused to back down on the claim.
“F*** that,” he said when asked if he would like to apologize. “That’s not going to happen.”
According to Nick Clemens, the communications director for the first lady, her attorneys are still pursuing apologies.
“First Lady Melania Trump’s attorneys are actively ensuring immediate retractions and apologies by those who spread malicious, defamatory falsehoods,” Clemens said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “The true account of how the First Lady met President Trump is in her best-selling book, Melania.”
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Donald Trump reiterated that he and the first lady were introduced to each other by a friend at a party in New York City, but it was not Epstein. Trump echoed his wife’s statement, insisting “Jeffrey Epstein had nothing to do with Melania and introducing [us],” and claimed the allegations were an effort to “make up stories.”
The Washington Examiner has reached out to Lownie.
