The Justice Department announced on Tuesday that it is seeking a meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime associate and convicted co-conspirator, as the Trump administration faces intensifying criticism over its handling of the Epstein case.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who previously served as Trump’s criminal defense lawyer, posted on X that he had reached out to Maxwell’s legal team at the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi and expects to meet with her soon.
“No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits,” Blanche wrote, adding in a separate statement: “If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say … Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government. That changes now.”
The DOJ announcement comes after weeks of mounting pressure from Trump’s MAGA base and congressional Democrats to release more evidence about Epstein’s alleged network of abusers. Last week, Trump called the Epstein case a “hoax” perpetrated by Democrats and urged his supporters to move on, but eventually instructed Bondi to petition a federal court for the release of grand jury testimony,
The move to meet with Maxwell appears designed to placate Trump’s supporters, many of whom have grown disillusioned ever since a July DOJ–FBI report concluded there was no additional evidence relating to the case to disclose. That report has fueled skepticism among right-wing influencers and others that a cover-up is protecting powerful figures implicated in Epstein’s crimes. Though some congressional Republicans have called on the administration to release the so-called files, GOP members of the House Rules Committee recently blocked an effort to do so.
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On Tuesday, the House Oversight Committee approved a motion to subpoena Maxwell by voice vote. The motion was introduced by Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn. But House Republicans are reportedly not taking up several bills this week in order to avoid further votes related to Epstein.
Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence after her 2021 conviction for sex trafficking minors and other charges, has petitioned the Supreme Court to review her case. Last week, the DOJ urged the high court to deny that appeal.
David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s attorney, confirmed to Axios that discussions with prosecutors have begun. “Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,” he said, adding, “We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.”
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