Fact Check: Was the viral Melania Trump photo taken aboard Epstein’s jet?

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A viral rumor exploding across Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and X in mid-November claimed that an old modeling photo of Melania Trump, then Melania Knauss, was shot aboard the late offender Jeffrey Epstein’s private jet.

The claim spread through memes, posts, and videos, with one widely shared graphic declaring, “Fun fact: This famous picture of first lady Melania Trump was taken on Jeffrey Epstein's plane.”

Claim: A viral photo shows Melania posing on Epstein’s private plane

The rumor hinges on a single modeling image of Melania Trump that has resurfaced repeatedly online, especially during political flashpoints involving Donald Trump.

In November 2025, users reposted the picture with captions alleging that young Melania posed “partially nude” aboard Epstein’s infamous private aircraft, implying a connection between the first lady and Epstein.

The claim circulated heavily on social platforms, often stripped of context, allowing many users to assume the photo was taken on Epstein’s jet during one of his now-infamous flights. 

Fact Check: Melania's photo was taken on Trump’s Boeing 727, not Epstein’s

The claim is false. While the photo itself is authentic and unaltered, it was not taken on Jeffrey Epstein’s aircraft. The image originates from a January 2000 GQ magazine photoshoot, documented extensively in print and online.

GQ credited renowned photographer Antoine Verglas for the shoot, which took place on Donald Trump’s customized Boeing 727, not an Epstein-owned plane. 

GQ reaffirmed the photo’s origin on November 8, 2016, the day of Trump’s first presidential election victory, noting Melania posed on Trump’s jet wearing handcuffs, diamonds, and holding a chrome pistol: “Sixteen years ago we profiled Donald Trump's then-girlfriend Melania Knauss… in our naked profile shoot on his customised Boeing 727,” the magazine wrote.

The photos have been publicly archived by WorthPoint, which hosts original images of the 2000 print edition, including captions explicitly stating the shoot occurred aboard Trump’s 727.

Furthermore, GQ editor Dylan Jones recalled: “We were bombarded by requests to shoot Melania… we came up with a rather kitsch and camp story for her to feature in.” Jones also confirmed Donald Trump requested framed prints from the shoot for his office.

 There is no evidence, photographic, editorial, or testimonial, linking the image to Epstein’s plane.

Melania Trump addresses GQ modeling photos and Epstein rumors

In September 2024, ahead of the release of her memoir Melania, the first lady issued a lengthy public statement addressing renewed scrutiny of her nude modeling career. 

In it, she defended the artistic legitimacy of the images: “Why do I stand proudly behind my nude modeling work?… Throughout history, master artists have revered the human shape… We should honor our bodies and embrace the timeless tradition of using art as a powerful means of self expression.”

Melania has consistently emphasized that her modeling career, including the GQ shoot, was consensual, professional, and unrelated to the scandals surrounding Epstein.

The resurfaced rumor misrepresents a legitimate modeling photo, mistakenly tying it to Epstein’s aircraft without any factual basis. The picture is real; the claim about its location is not.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.