By Jane Lewis | Thursday February 05, 2026 | 5 min read
Newly released Justice Department documents have reopened an old question that has followed Melania Trump for years: who actually introduced her to Donald Trump? For decades, the accepted version pointed to Paolo Zampolli, the modeling agent who brought her to New York and placed her with ID Models. But the DOJ files, produced during Donald Trump’s own administration, tell a different story—one that places Jeffrey Epstein at the center of that pivotal introduction.
The documents don’t dispute that Zampolli served as Melania’s agent. They don’t erase his role in securing her early modeling work or arranging her visa. What they do is challenge the long‑standing narrative about the night she met Donald Trump. According to one FBI proffer included in the release, Epstein—not Zampolli—made the introduction. The claim is brief, but its implications are significant, especially given the broader context of Epstein’s activities at the time.
The timing of these revelations has collided with renewed scrutiny of Melania’s public image. As she promotes a film that critics say struggled at the box office, questions have surfaced about efforts to portray it as a success. Several reports suggest that several of Donald Trump’s religious allies were allegedly encouraging bulk ticket purchases to inflate sales figures. Those claims remain unverified, but they have added to a growing sense that the Trump orbit is working aggressively to manage optics.
Melania has responded to recent criticism with legal threats, including against author Michael Wolff. Wolff, however, has already sued her, and court filings show she has not countersued. Instead, she has attempted to dismiss the case on procedural grounds, arguing she had not been properly served. The dispute has only heightened attention on the newly released DOJ files.
Among the documents is an October 23, 2002 email from Melania to Ghislaine Maxwell. The message begins, “Dear G,” suggesting a familiarity Melania has publicly denied. In the email, she compliments Maxwell on a New York Magazine story about Epstein, asks about her travels, and expresses interest in meeting again in New York. The tone is casual, friendly, and at odds with later claims that she barely knew Maxwell.
Another document, partially redacted, describes Epstein visiting Zampolli’s modeling agency during casting sessions. According to the proffer, Epstein reviewed portfolios and took an interest in models represented by ID Models. The same document states that Epstein introduced Melania Trump to Donald Trump—directly contradicting the version Melania and Zampolli have repeated for years.
A separate handwritten note in the file adds another layer. It references a woman who was connected to Zampolli through an ex‑husband, mentions an affair with an agent, and states that Zampolli and Epstein were working together to acquire elite models. The note concludes with the assertion that “he introduced Melania Trump to president,” echoing the proffer’s claim.
Historical reporting supports parts of the traditional narrative. A New York Times profile once described Zampolli as the person who secured Melania’s visa and brought her to the 1998 KitKat Club party where she met Donald Trump. Those parties were known for their extravagant themes and the presence of young models from Eastern Europe. What the DOJ documents suggest is not a complete rewrite of that history, but a more complicated backdrop—one in which Epstein, Zampolli, and Trump operated in overlapping circles, and where the origin story of Melania’s rise may not be as straightforward as once portrayed.
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The documents don’t accuse Melania Trump of any crime. What they do is place her name, again and again, inside the same social and professional circles that Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell moved through at the height of their now‑infamous operations. That alone is enough to reignite public interest, especially given how sharply her husband has positioned himself on issues like immigration—an area where critics have long pointed out the gap between his rhetoric and the circumstances of Melania’s own arrival in the United States.
Whether people continue to accept the familiar story involving Paolo Zampolli or give weight to the newly surfaced account pointing to Epstein, the release of these files ensures that the questions surrounding Melania’s early years in New York won’t be disappearing anytime soon. The competing narratives, the contradictions, and the timing of these disclosures have all combined to reopen a chapter she has spent years trying to keep closed.