I FOUND THE PROOF: Paolo Zampolli DID NOT introduce Melania to Donald Trump
Zampolli's story about "the introduction" has shifted over time. His version directly contradicts the First Lady's account of what happened at the Kit Kat Club in 1998.
Paolo Zampolli claims he is the one who “discovered” Melania Knavs and brought her to America to work as a model. Over the years, Jeffrey Epstein was a patron of Zampolli’s agency, ID Model Management. Epstein and Zampolli even partnered in a failed attempt to acquire Elite Model Management. The two had a lot in common: they loved bringing young women—if not children—from economically disadvantaged countries to America to work as “models.”
Before Trump was elected in November 2016, gossip circulated that Epstein had dated Melania and eventually introduced her to Donald Trump. Epstein was still alive back then. Maybe he still is. Regardless, Epstein believed he held the keys to Donald’s demise. And the President has a lot of reasons to be glad Epstein is gone. But there are some stories the Trump’s just can’t shake—even with the help of their friends.
Paola Zampolli claims he had introduced Melania to Donald Trump
About five months before the 2016 presidential election, Zampolli told Inside Edition that he was the one who introduced Melania to Donald: "I said, 'Melania, please meet my dear friend Donald.'"
A month before the election, Melania sued the Daily Mail for libel, alleging the publisher had falsely claimed she was an "escort." The Daily Mail settled out of court, paying $2.9 million and issuing an apology.
Melania’s bizarre press conference about Epstein
On April 9, 2026, Melania held a bizarre press conference at the White House to deny any connection to Epstein. She denied that Epstein had introduced her to Trump and stated that she was never on his plane. “The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today,” Melania said.
Many believe the press conference was a preemptive move to get ahead of Amanda Ungaro’s story, which has been trickling out ever since. Ungaro was Zampolli’s partner for twenty years, and the two share a child. According to Ungaro, Zampolli—who is now an official in the Trump administration—directed ICE to arrest and detain her amidst a high-conflict child custody battle. Ungaro, who was deported to Brazil last year, claims Melania turned a cold shoulder to her plight.
Since Melania’s speech, Ungaro has gone public with allegations that Zampolli was abusive throughout their relationship, and that she had flown on Epstein’s private jet when she was only 17 years old. Ungaro also alleges that Zampolli admitted to her on multiple occasions that he was not, in fact, the person who introduced Melania to Trump.
Zampolli shifts his story
On April 9, 2026, Sky News’ Trump100 podcast reached out to Zampolli to ask whether Epstein had introduced Melania to Donald. While the show was recording, Zampolli replied to host Mark Stone. Stone read Zampolli’s response out loud, explaining that Zampolli “is ready to testify before Congress to prove that he was the individual who introduced President Trump to Melania Trump.”
“He is willing to go before Congress to prove that any suggestion that it was Epstein who introduced the Trumps is wrong, and that it was he who did that,” Stone said.
Zampolli then called into the podcast. Although the video of the phone interview appears to have been heavily edited, I transcribed the following directly from the audio-only version:
[ Mark Stone: ]
Hang on, hang on. He’s trying to call me now. I’m live on the podcast.
Hi, Paolo, how are you? I’m actually in the middle of recording our podcast, so I was going to ask you in a minute, if I could just ask you about the Melania thing, you know, what your reaction is to the First Lady’s statement.
[ Paolo Zampolli: ]
Uh, the First Lady stands up for the people. Uh. And of course, she has nothing to do with this, whatever, criminal pedophile, like this. I’m ready to testify in front of Congress, if I’m asked to, and say the truth, because this is totally nonsense.
[ Mark Stone: ]
So you’re willing to testify in front of Congress to prove that you were the person that introduced Melania to Donald Trump?
[ Paolo Zampolli: ]
Yeah, my friend Mark, this is old news. It is in the book of the White House, the biography the First Lady. This is 30 years ago, we all know that. Of course if i’m needed to say the truth, as an American citizen, I’m here to say the truth, without any problems.
[ Mark Stone: ]
And just remind us, how you did introduce the two of them?
[ Paolo Zampolli: ]
Uhm, as you see from page 21 of the First Lady’s book, I met her in Milano. One of the VIP guests was Trump [inaudible]. But he arrived and, my—at the time 30 years ago—girlfriend Edit Molnar was there, sitting with Melania, and saying, Edit “say hi.” Uh, I said, “Donald meet Melania. Melania meet Donald.” And he was with I think Celina whatever…
Everybody knew Epstein. From your monarchs from Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, he also knew everybody else!
[ Mark Stone: ]
And you knew him?
[ Paolo Zampolli: ]
Well, I was so lucky the guy hated me! They say the only things that they find in Epstein’s files, which my name was mentioned, is “Paolo is trouble. Paolo is trouble.”
[ Mark Stone: ]
Fascinating.
Zampolli’s claim contradicts Melania’s book
Here is the polished version, tightening the grammar and flow while preserving your exact phrasing, citations, and analytical tone:
Although Zampolli claims all of this is “old news” and that his version of events is supported on page 21 of Melania’s eponymously titled memoir Melania, that is not accurate. Melania wrote nothing about Zampolli introducing her to Donald Trump.
In fact, the only mention of Zampolli in Melania is that she met him at a casting call in Milan when he was the co-owner of Metropolitan Models in New York City. Melania wrote that she found him to be “straightforward” and that he had a “keen interest in [her] portfolio.”
Otherwise, Melania describes a very different version of the night she first laid eyes on Donald.
Melania wrote that one of her girlfriends—whom she does not name—called her up and said: “My boyfriend is throwing a party at the Kit Kat Club tomorrow night[.]”
Presumably, the unnamed girlfriend was Edit Molnar, who was dating Paolo Zampolli at the time.
On that Saturday night, Melania’s girlfriend picked her up in a limo. When they arrived at the Kit Kat Club, Melania “settled upstairs at [their] table in the VIP section[.]”
Melania wrote about her initial interaction with Donald:
I saw my friend wave at someone behind me. When I turned around, I noticed a man and an attractive blonde woman approaching us.
“Hi. I’m Donald Trump,” the man said when he reached my table. “Nice to meet you.” I recognized the name, and I knew he was a businessman or celebrity, but not much else. He put his hand out to shake mine.
“Hello,” I replied. “I’m Melania.”
His eyes filled with curiosity and interest, and, seizing the opportunity, he took the seat next to mine and started a conversation. He asked me about my time in New York, my Slovenian home, and my world travels. It was a moment of connection, a briet encounter that left a lasting impression. It was nice to make a new acquaintance.
He was accompanied by a beautiful date, so I initially dismissed our conversation as mere pleasantries exchanged at an industry event. The music was loud, and the crowd boisterous, making it difficult to truly connect with someone.
Inside Edition reported that Donald Trump arrived at the club with his then-girlfriend, Celina Midelfart. Other sources say that when Midelfart stepped out to the restroom, Trump made his move on Melania. Midelfart had also dated Jeffrey Epstein before Donald Trump—and to say she was all over Epstein's flight logs would be an understatement.
Melania claims: NOBODY introduced her to Donald
Zampolli’s claims directly contradict Melania’s own accounting of events. On May 17, 2005, just a few months after tying the knot, Donald and Melania Trump appeared on CNN’s Larry King Live, where King specifically asked how they met and whether anyone had introduced them.
[ Larry King: ]
Melania Trump, the international cover girl has now joined us. We got uh to discuss the meeting. How did you two meet?
[ Melania Trump: ]
Uh, we met in New York, 1998, it was a fashion week, September 1998.
[ Larry King: ]
The famous fashion week?
[ Melania Trump: ]
The famous fashion week in New York.
[ Larry King: ]
Were you introduced?
[ Melania Trump: ]
Well, no we were both at the same party, and that’s how we met.
Ultimately, either Melania or Zampolli is lying about how she first met Donald. Or, perhaps neither story is true. Be careful how you interpret this: I believe Melania’s account that nobody had introduced her to Donald at the Kit Kat Club.