Ghislaine Maxwell expects pardon from Trump after turning over information on 100 people linked to Epstein

Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in 2021 of collaborating with Jeffrey Epstein in the recruitment and sexual abuse of minors, would be betting on a pardon from President Donald Trump after providing the Justice Department with information on at least 100 people allegedly linked to the pedophile.

For two days, Maxwell met in a Florida federal court with Assistant Attorney General Todd Blanche. According to her attorney, David Oscar Markus, the former British socialite cooperated fully: "She answered those questions honestly, truthfully, and to the best of her ability," he stated upon leaving the court, calling the meeting "very productive." He further assured that his client did not invoke privileges or refuse to answer any of the questions.

The pardon letter

Although it has not been formally discussed with the president, the defense made it clear that it considers the option of a presidential clemency viable. "We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet," Markus noted. "The president this morning said he had the power to do so. We hope he exercises that power in the right and just way."

Hours earlier, President Donald Trump was asked directly about the possibility of pardoning Maxwell, to which he responded that, while he certainly has that power, it is something he has not considered. "It's something I haven't thought about. I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about," he said Friday before leaving for Scotland.

Cooperation with justice and subpoena to Congress

Maxwell's new attitude represents a shift in her strategy after failing to testify during her 2021 trial, where she was sentenced to 20 years in prison for five federal crimes, including sex trafficking of minors.

This week, a congressional committee voted to subpoena her to testify under oath on August 11th. It will be the first time Maxwell will give public testimony about Epstein's crimes and his exploitation ring.

His defense asked the Justice Department to "keep an open mind" in the face of the new information being turned over.

According to Markus, Maxwell answered every question asked by prosecutors during the recent sessions. "They asked about every single possible thing you could imagine—everything," said the attorney, who also claimed that he talked about 100 different people linked to Epstein's circle.

While it is unclear what effect this cooperation will have on his appeal to the Supreme Court, Markus argued that Maxwell is seeking to get "the truth will come out about what happened with Mr. Epstein, and she’s the person who’s answering those questions."

Trump decries double standard in media coverage of Epstein case

The president took the opportunity to criticize the media's focus on him in relation to Epstein, suggesting that while he is being baselessly linked to the scandal, establishment figures such as Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and Larry Summers remain unaccountable for matters he considers far more serious. "People should really focus on how well the country’s doing, or they should focus on the fact that Barack Hussein Obama led a coup, or they should focus on the fact that [former Treasury Secretary] Larry Summers from Harvard, that [former President] Bill Clinton, who you know very well, and lots of other friends, really close friends of Jeffrey [Epstein]," Trump said. He insisted he has no connection to Epstein, unlike—he said—other powerful figures who have been shielded from public scrutiny.