Trump’s latest statement on Ghislaine Maxwell

Trump: I really have nothing to say about it. She's being interviewed by a very smart man, a very good man—Todd Blanche. And I don’t know anything about the conversation. I really haven’t been following it.

A lot of people are asking me about pardons, obviously. This is not the time to talk about pardons. But many people have asked about pardons. It’s just not the time to talk about pardons.

Todd will come back with whatever he has. They’re making a big deal out of something that isn’t a big issue. If they’re going to talk about it, they should talk about Clinton.
Talk about the former president of Harvard. Talk about all his friends. Talk about the hedge fund guys who were with him all the time. Don’t talk about Trump.

What they should be talking about is the fact that we’ve had the best six months in the history of a presidency.

A new controversy has erupted in the United States following the revelation that Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted of child sex trafficking in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, was interviewed in prison by the current Deputy Attorney General, Todd Blanche. The interview, conducted over two days at the federal prison in Tallahassee, Florida, included more than 100 questions, all of which Maxwell answered without invoking her right to remain silent. The Department of Justice granted her limited immunity for the conversation, a decision that has sparked a strong wave of criticism—particularly because the official sent was a high-ranking political figure rather than a specialized prosecutor.

The decision has reignited speculation about a possible "Epstein list" made up of influential figures in politics, finance, and academia. Although the Department of Justice insists there is no concrete evidence of such a list or of crimes associated with it beyond what has already been investigated, many observers believe Maxwell could be negotiating sensitive information in exchange for legal benefits or even a potential pardon.

Donald Trump was asked by reporters about the matter and whether he might be connected to a possible pardon for Maxwell. The president responded:
“I really don’t have anything to say about it. She’s being interviewed by a very smart man, a very good man, Todd Blanche. And I don’t know anything about the conversation. I haven’t really been following it.”

On the possibility of a pardon, Trump added:
“A lot of people are asking me about pardons, obviously. This is not the time to talk about pardons. But a lot of people have asked. It’s simply not the time to talk about pardons.”

He then addressed the media critically:
“They’re making a huge fuss about something that isn’t a big deal. If they’re going to talk about that, they should talk about Clinton. Talk about the former president of Harvard. Talk about all of his friends. Talk about the hedge fund guys who were with him all the time. Don’t talk about Trump.”

Finally, Trump shifted the focus to his administration:
“What they should be talking about is the fact that we’ve had the best six months in the history of a presidency.”

Meanwhile, members of Congress—mainly from the Democratic wing—have demanded more transparency regarding the content of the interview and why limited immunity was granted to such a controversial figure as Maxwell. For their part, sources close to Maxwell claim she has not formally requested a pardon but would be open to any legal mechanism that might reduce her sentence. The situation is likely to escalate, as many believe the Maxwell–Epstein case still holds secrets that could implicate high-profile individuals in the United States and abroad.