DOJ Releases Maxwell Testimony Clearing Trump Conduct/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Ghislaine Maxwell told the Justice Department she never witnessed Donald Trump engage in sexual misconduct, distancing him from Jeffrey Epstein. Newly released interview transcripts show Maxwell praising Trump while denying inappropriate behavior. The disclosures come amid political pressure over the administration’s handling of Epstein-related records.
Maxwell’s Testimony and Trump Links: Quick Looks
- Interview Source: Transcripts released by Justice Department
- Key Testimony: Maxwell said Trump was always a “gentleman”
- Immunity Granted: Allowed her to speak without fear of prosecution
- Epstein Connection: Maxwell acknowledged Trump visits at Mar-a-Lago
- Clinton Mentioned: Said she never saw Bill Clinton receive a massage
- Prince Andrew: Defended him, called Virginia Giuffre’s claims “rubbish”
- Political Context: Trump admin criticized for handling Epstein evidence
- Conspiracy Theories: Public anger fueled by false “client list” rumors
- Epstein Case Background: Died in 2019 while facing trafficking charges
- Maxwell’s Sentence: Serving 20 years, recently transferred to Texas prison
Deep Look: Ghislaine Maxwell Denies Inappropriate Trump Conduct in DOJ Interviews
WASHINGTON — In a development that touches on politics, criminal justice, and high-profile scandal, the Justice Department on Friday released transcripts of interviews with Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell. The documents reveal Maxwell’s repeated denials of ever seeing Donald Trump engage in sexual misconduct, a disclosure that appears aimed at distancing the president from Epstein’s shadowy legacy.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche questioned Maxwell last month as part of a broader transparency effort following criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of Epstein-related records. Under limited immunity, Maxwell told Blanche she had never observed Trump in any inappropriate situation.
“I actually never saw the President in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell said in her interview. “The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects.”
Maxwell’s Connection to Trump and Epstein
Maxwell recalled first meeting Trump around 1990 through her father, publishing magnate Robert Maxwell. She admitted to visiting Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach but claimed not to have seen him since the mid-2000s.
Asked whether she ever heard Epstein or others accuse Trump of improper activity, she firmly answered, “Absolutely never, in any context.”
Despite her close ties to Epstein, Maxwell maintained she never interpreted his preference for younger women as criminal.
“I saw him with women in their 20s,” she explained, before acknowledging his interests later shifted toward younger-looking women. However, she insisted she did not perceive this as child exploitation.
Broader Case Context
Maxwell’s testimony comes as she serves a 20-year prison term for her 2021 conviction of luring underage girls to Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Her trial included harrowing accounts from women who said they were abused as teenagers at Epstein’s residences in New York, Florida, and elsewhere.
The Justice Department also began turning over investigative records to the House Oversight Committee, though victim identities will be redacted. Lawmakers intend to release portions of those files, hoping to address mounting speculation that the government is concealing explosive details.
Other Prominent Names: Clinton and Prince Andrew
Maxwell also addressed her interactions with other figures linked to Epstein. She said former President Bill Clinton traveled with Epstein “a couple dozen times” but denied ever witnessing inappropriate conduct. She also defended Britain’s Prince Andrew, calling Virginia Giuffre’s accusations of sex with her at Maxwell’s London home “rubbish.”
Political Firestorm and Conspiracy Theories
The Maxwell interviews were released amid intense political heat. Earlier this year, Attorney General Pam Bondi fueled expectations by suggesting an Epstein “client list” existed — a claim later proven false. FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, before entering government roles, had also promoted theories about hidden evidence.
That rhetoric fueled frustration among Trump’s base when the Justice Department later confirmed no such list was real and that most sealed records would remain confidential to protect victims. Far-right influencers were even shown “Epstein Files” binders at the White House earlier this year — documents critics quickly identified as old public records.
Facing backlash, Trump dismissed the controversy as the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” and rebuked supporters who pressed the issue. The administration now hopes the Maxwell transcripts, with their clear denials of Trump misconduct, will temper conspiracy-driven anger.
What’s Next
As the Justice Department responds to congressional subpoenas, the Epstein-Maxwell saga continues to dominate political discourse. For Trump, Maxwell’s testimony provides a public defense against years of speculation over his past ties to Epstein. Yet with Epstein’s legacy still clouded by unanswered questions, the political fallout is unlikely to fade soon.
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