'Never saw Trump act improperly', says Maxwell on Jeffrey Epstein ties

Ghislaine Maxwell told DOJ she never saw Donald Trump act inappropriately during his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, denying any connection to Epstein's crimes or misconduct

Ghislaine Maxwell, long-time associate of the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, told a top Justice Department official that she never saw US President Donald Trump engage in any improper or illegal behaviour during his friendship with Epstein, according to interview transcripts released late Friday.

 

The interviews, conducted over two days in late July with Todd Blanche, a former Trump defence lawyer and then-deputy attorney general nominee, provide new insight into Maxwell’s perspective — but also raise questions, The New York Times reported. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein traffic underage girls, has been seeking to reduce her prison term, giving her incentive to present Trump in a favourable light, the report said.

 

Epstein’s victims and their families criticised the interview, suggesting it amounted to a “sweetheart deal” for someone willing to say what powerful figures might want to hear.     

 

Maxwell denies conspiracy theories

 

During the Florida courthouse interview, Maxwell denied the existence of hidden lists or blackmail operations linked to Epstein. She also said Trump had no involvement in Epstein’s crimes.

 

“I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting,” Maxwell said in a muffled English accent. “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way.”

 

She rejected claims that Epstein used his connections to coerce or manipulate powerful individuals. “There is no list,” she said, dismissing one of the central pillars of Epstein-related conspiracy theories.

 

After her interview, Maxwell was transferred from a restrictive Florida prison to a minimum-security facility in Bryan, Texas.

 

Maxwell praises Trump

 

Throughout the conversation, Maxwell praised Trump while downplaying his connection to Epstein. She also denied accusations that Trump was involved in inappropriate activity. “The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects," she said.

 

Maxwell, who was not present when Epstein died in 2019, suggested she did not believe he was murdered to hide the sex-trafficking network.

 

Authorities had ruled Epstein’s death a suicide, finding no evidence of foul play.     

 

Blanche’s questions show selectivity

 

Blanche appeared to focus on some Epstein connections more than others. He questioned Maxwell more about Epstein’s ties to former President Bill Clinton than Trump, although Maxwell denied misconduct by either. She also dismissed claims about Epstein’s associates being involved in wrongdoing, the news report said.

 

“Some are in your cabinet, who you value as your co-workers,” Maxwell said, without naming anyone specifically. She added that people would not have associated with Epstein if he had been a “creep or because they wanted sexual favours.”

 

Blanche frequently shifted the conversation, and at one point reassured Maxwell: “If I think that you’re not being honest, or that you’re missing something, I’m not going to — this isn’t ‘got you'.”

 

When asked about Epstein’s network, Maxwell named numerous celebrities and politicians — including Elon Musk, John F Kerry, Sarah Ferguson, and Kevin Spacey — but said they were friends or business acquaintances, not involved in any illegal activity.

 

She recalled meeting Musk in 2010 or 2011 at a party for Google co-founder Sergey Brin. She also mentioned that Epstein had connections to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak but could not recall details about their meetings.

 

Maxwell rejects intelligence agency conspiracies

 

Maxwell firmly denied that Epstein’s network was used to collect blackmail for intelligence purposes. When asked if she had contact with Mossad agents, she said, “Well, not deliberately.” When Blanche asked for clarification, she repeated, “Not deliberately,” but the topic was not pursued further.