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By Shane Croucher and Andrew Stanton
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President Donald Trump said he had not considered pardoning Jeffrey Epstein's convicted former associate Ghislaine Maxwell, but that he could do so if he wanted to.
Why It Matters
Trump is facing a wave of political backlash over his administration's handling of the Epstein files. He indicated he would release a trove of documents related to the case of the late financier, who died by suicide in a New York federal jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on charges of sex trafficking.
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Maxwell was sentenced in 2022 for aiding Epstein in the trafficking of minors and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
There have long been rumors of an Epstein "client list," though it has never been made public. A newly released Justice Department memo concluded there was no evidence of a client list, sparking bipartisan backlash from critics who believe that contradicts earlier statements made by the administration.
What To Know
A reporter asked Trump whether he had considered giving a pardon or commutation to Maxwell on Friday.
"It's something I haven't thought about," Trump said as he prepared to depart the White House for Scotland.
"I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about," he said.
Trump also addressed pardons upon landing in Scotland later on Friday.
"A lot of people are asking me about pardons. Obviously, This is no time to be talking about pardons. But a lot of people have asked about pardons. This is just not the time to be talking about pardons," he said.
He said he has not been following the conversation and does not have details about what Maxwell has said during the conversations with the DOJ.
David Markus, an attorney for Maxwell, told reporters that her legal team has not been in touch with Trump about a pardon.
"We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet," he said. "The president this morning said he had the power to do so and we hope he exercises that power in a right and just way."
Ghislaine Maxwell Pardon: What We Know
Some Trump critics have speculated that Trump could pardon Maxwell following her meeting with Department of Justice officials to answer fresh questions about the Epstein case.
"She probably wants a pardon from Donald Trump, so her meeting with Trump's Department of Justice cannot be trusted, and anything she says must be corroborated with documents and records from the actual Epstein files," Representative Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, told Los Angeles news station KABC.
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The president does have broad authority to issue pardons under the U.S. Constitution, but the GOP could face a political price if he were to pardon Maxwell, adding to the political firestorm the Epstein files have already created.
Recent public opinion surveys suggest most Americans are unhappy with the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed on X that he would meet with Maxwell again on Friday. Blanche said the DOJ is meeting with Maxwell because she may have critical evidence related to the Epstein investigation. Details on the first meeting remain slim.
When Was Jeffrey Epstein Caught?
Epstein was arrested in July 2006 on prostitution charges following an investigation into alleged sex trafficking and rape in Florida. He reached a plea deal in 2008 that allowed him to plead guilty to state charges of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution. He was released from jail in 2009.
He was again arrested on federal sex trafficking charges on July 6, 2019. Less than a month later, he was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City. Investigators found that he died by suicide, but that conclusion has fueled conspiracy theories.
What People Are Saying
Representative Dan Goldman, a New York Democrat, Tuesday on X: "DOJ plans to interview Ghislaine Maxwell. But why now? Ghislaine is looking for a pardon, and who would be better to give it to her than a co-conspirator now in the Oval Office. Any testimony she provides must be accompanied by the release of the files to corroborate it."
Former federal prosecutor Joyce White Vance, Thursday on X: "Trump could give Ghislaine Maxwell a pardon on his last day in office, in exchange for favorable testimony now (SCOTUS has already said he can't be prosecuted for it). She knows he's her only chance for release. That means any 'new' testimony she offers is inherently unreliable unless backed by evidence."
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday said about the prospect of Maxwell testifying: "Could she be counted on to tell the truth? Is she a credible witness? I mean, this is a person who's been sentenced to many, many years in prison for terrible, unspeakable, conspiratorial acts and acts against innocent young people."
What Happens Next
Trump is likely to continue facing pressure to release the Epstein files.
Update 7/25/25, 11:15 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
Update 7/25/25 5:10 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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