On Thursday, Melania Trump made an unexpected visit to the White House, during which she clarified her lack of association with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Her remarks have brought renewed attention to Epstein, diverting focus from the ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel regarding Iran. This announcement comes at a particularly challenging time for her husband, Donald Trump, as the delicate ceasefire between the US and Iran appears to be in jeopardy, coinciding with growing concerns among lawmakers about the president’s mental health. Lucy Hough engages with Betsy Reed, the editor of the Guardian US, to discuss the implications of this development.