Rep. Melanie Stansbury called for accountability from President Donald Trump, following the arrest of former Prince Andrew in the United Kingdom over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Stansbury’s statement came as British authorities held Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, for several hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office, marking the first time in nearly four centuries that a senior British royal has been formally detained.
If a Prince can be held accountable, so can a President.
— Rep. Melanie Stansbury (@Rep_Stansbury) February 19, 2026
Stansbury, citing the prince’s arrest, said in a post, “If a Prince can be held accountable, so can a President.” She highlighted the contrast between international legal action and what she described as a lack of accountability in the United States regarding individuals connected to Epstein.
British police took Mountbatten-Windsor into custody at his home on the Sandringham Estate in eastern England on Thursday morning. He was questioned for roughly 11 hours before being released under investigation. Authorities did not provide details about the allegations, though reports indicate the investigation involves potential sharing of confidential government documents with Epstein while he served as a trade envoy.
The arrest follows longstanding allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor sexually abused a minor trafficked by Epstein. In 2022, he settled a civil lawsuit with one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, without admitting wrongdoing. King Charles had previously stripped Andrew of his royal titles and removed him from his residence at the Royal Lodge amid the continuing scandal.
🚨 Rep. Stansbury doesn’t mince words:
— Brian Allen (@allenanalysis) February 9, 2026
“The United States government is engaged in an active cover-up of the largest sex-trafficking and influence-peddling scandal in our history — and Donald Trump is right at the center of it.”
That’s a sitting member of Congress saying it out… pic.twitter.com/m3DnOD93p3
Stansbury tied the developments in the U.K. to ongoing investigations in the United States, including a recent deposition of Ghislaine Maxwell before the House Oversight Committee. Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, reportedly invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during the deposition. Stansbury said Maxwell’s silence appeared intended to send a message to Trump regarding potential clemency. She noted that Trump is mentioned thousands of times in recently released Department of Justice files related to Epstein’s operations, along with numerous associates and officials.
“The person who is living and able to provide the evidence—who knows what is going on—is trying to invoke the Fifth Amendment to buy her clemency,” Stansbury said. “So let’s be clear about what we saw here today. This was an effort to essentially try to secure her pardon by keeping her mouth shut, and we will not allow this silence to stand.”
Stansbury also pointed out that other countries have taken legal action against figures connected to Epstein, contrasting these efforts with what she described as “an active cover-up” in the United States. She stressed that lawmakers will continue reviewing unredacted Department of Justice records to uncover the full extent of involvement by Trump and others tied to Epstein’s crimes.
