Trump Makes Big Announcement About Pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell

President Donald J. Trump said Friday he has not considered granting a pardon or sentence commutation for Ghislaine Maxwell — the convicted sex trafficker and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein — though he notably refused to take the option off the table.

“It’s something I haven’t thought about. I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I have not thought about,” Trump told a CNN reporter when asked directly about the possibility of clemency. Pressed again later, Trump responded: “I can’t talk about that now… it’s very sensitive,” while praising Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is actively leading the DOJ’s renewed investigation into Epstein’s extensive network.

Blanche, a former Trump criminal defense attorney and now a top official in the Trump administration’s Justice Department, met face-to-face with Maxwell on Thursday in Florida and confirmed the meeting would continue into Friday.

“Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time,” Blanche posted Thursday evening on X (formerly Twitter).

The meetings are part of a larger push by the Trump administration to force transparency from institutions that, for years, kept a tight lid on the Epstein saga. That secrecy—fostered under multiple prior administrations—has long drawn suspicion from conservatives who believe the DOJ, FBI, and even federal courts conspired to shield high-profile elites from accountability.

According to Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, his client was fully cooperative.

“Ms. Maxwell answered every single question. She never stopped, she never invoked a privilege, she never declined to answer. She answered all the questions truthfully, honestly and to the best of her ability,” Markus said outside the federal courthouse in Tallahassee.

Despite her cooperation, Markus clarified that no pardon or sentence reduction was promised — at least not yet.

Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2022 of recruiting and grooming underage girls for Epstein, often under the false premise of modeling jobs or scholarships. She has continued to appeal her conviction, and her name—like Epstein’s—remains entangled with some of the most powerful names in global politics, royalty, and finance.

President Trump has made clear that his DOJ is committed to exposing the full extent of Epstein’s criminal network, regardless of whose names may be implicated. Earlier this week, Blanche stated that the president had directed officials to “release all credible evidence” and make sure “the FBI and the Justice Department will hear what [Maxwell] has to say.”

Trump’s directive came after the DOJ announced it would not release additional Epstein-related records, backtracking on earlier promises made by Attorney General Pam Bondi. The reversal drew sharp criticism from Trump’s base, who accused entrenched bureaucrats of stonewalling justice to protect the powerful.

Trump’s measured response on the pardon question may reflect the political sensitivities around the case — or signal that negotiations are ongoing behind the scenes.

Blanche, for his part, remains a key figure in the administration’s push for accountability. “He’s a fantastic man. He’s a great attorney,” Trump said of Blanche on Friday, suggesting full confidence in his handling of the Maxwell talks.

As speculation swirls, one thing is clear: the Trump administration is doing what previous administrations refused to do — bringing Epstein’s accomplices to the table and demanding answers.