Jeffrey Epstein did not introduce Donald and Melania Trump, the president has said, after the first lady threatened to sue Hunter Biden for $1bn for making the claim.

Biden, the son of the former US president, claimed last month that Mr Trump had met his wife through Epstein, the paedophile financier who died in prison in 2019.

The first lady threatened to take legal action against him if he did not retract the “disparaging and inflammatory” statement.

Mr Trump on Thursday pushed back on Biden’s claim, saying he met his wife through “another person” whom he did not name.

The US president has been under pressure over his former friendship with Epstein as his administration refuses to approve a blanket release of the documents it holds on the paedophile.

Mr Trump accused Biden of making up stories to demean the first lady and said he had encouraged her to sue him.