Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, informed US officials she did not observe any improper behavior by Donald Trump or former President Bill Clinton. The Trump administration has been pressured to disclose information about Epstein, previously a friend of the US president. Maxwell’s prison interview in July revealed she told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that an alleged Epstein “client list” does not exist. She also dismissed allegations of Prince Andrew engaging in sexual relations with an underage girl in her home as “mind-blowingly not conceivable.”
Maxwell is seeking a pardon from Trump and has been accused of lying to federal officials. She was moved from a Florida prison to a new minimum-security facility in Texas after the interview with Blanche, a former Trump attorney. The reason for the transfer is unclear. Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for a sex-trafficking scheme, has petitioned the US Supreme Court to overturn her conviction. Her lawyer has expressed interest in a presidential pardon. The White House insists “no leniency is being given or discussed” in Maxwell’s case. Trump has stated he fell out with Epstein in 2004. He accuses political opponents of using the case to distract from what he views as his administration’s successes but faces pressure from his Republican Party for more transparency in Epstein investigations.
Maxwell’s 300-page interview transcripts, some heavily redacted, include her perception that Trump and Epstein were socially friendly but not close. She stated, “I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting,” and added that Trump behaved like a gentleman around her. She denied remembering Trump sending Epstein a 50th birthday note in 2003, which recently hit the headlines. Blanche questioned Maxwell about the alleged “client list” of high-profile personalities tied to conspiracy theories. Maxwell was asked about public figures such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., actor Kevin Spacey, model Naomi Campbell, and Prince Andrew, whom she denied introducing to Epstein. The famous associates’ list became a focal point for conspiracy theorists, alleging it was hidden by the “deep state” to protect prominent Epstein affiliates. Some Trump administration figures, like FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, had propagated these claims but later retracted them. Maxwell asserted, “There is no list.”
Maxwell addressed Prince Andrew’s alleged relationship with a woman whose name was redacted in the transcript, finding the allegations “mind-blowingly not conceivable,” partly due to her home’s size. She was asked about a “famous photo” showing Prince Andrew and the nameless woman, with Maxwell in the background, describing it as fake. Prince Andrew was accused by Virginia Giuffre, unnamed in the transcript, of sexual abuse when she was 17. He denied her claims but settled financially in 2022, acknowledging no liability or apology. A widely known photo captures him with Giuffre and Maxwell in the background, though Andrew disputed its authenticity. Giuffre’s recent suicide led her family to denounce the justice department for organizing Maxwell’s interview, labeling Maxwell a “monster” whose words are untrustworthy.
Maxwell said she met Epstein in 1991, building a sexual relationship that evolved into “friends with benefits” until 2010. She maintained a $250,000 annual stipend from Epstein until 2009. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial, a claim Maxwell disputes, stating, “I do not believe he died by suicide,” though she doesn’t suspect foul play related to silencing him. Maxwell deemed murder theories “ludicrous,” adding he was an “easy target” outside of jail if others were concerned about blackmail. Reports earlier this year suggested US Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump his name was in the Epstein investigation files. No allegations were made against Trump, who pledged more case details on the campaign trail, only to later dismiss its relevance and criticize ongoing queries from supporters and journalists.