Clemency emerged as a focal point when Ghislaine Maxwell declined to answer questions under oath before the House Oversight Committee, lawmakers said, with several members suggesting she hopes for a pardon from President Donald Trump.
Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right on matters including associations, finances, and potential co‑conspirators, a move her attorney had signaled in advance, and which lawmakers said indicates she anticipates executive relief, according to congressional members at a morning press conference.
The White House referred Newsweek to comments by Trump, who in November said he had not "even thought about" a pardon and that he did not "rule it in or out, I don't even think about it." At an earlier encounter with reporters, Trump said he had not "heard that name in so long" and that he would "have to take a look" at any application and "speak to the DOJ."
Representative Andy Biggs, who attended a July deposition by Maxwell, said Maxwell's attorney told Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche that she would state neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton was culpable for any wrongdoing. Maxwell previously answered deposition questions in July from Blanche.
Trump has also said he "hasn't thought about" pardoning Maxwell, while adding he is "allowed to do it" and that he would "speak to the DOJ." He told reporters that "nobody's approached me" on a pardon and that it would be "inappropriate to talk about it" at the time, according to his remarks reported to the press.
Maxwell was convicted on federal charges including sex trafficking of a minor and conspiracy related to transporting minors for unlawful sexual activity. Prosecutors said she recruited and groomed underage girls and facilitated encounters at multiple properties, and several accusers testified to her role. Maxwell continues to deny wrongdoing and is appealing her conviction while serving a 20‑year sentence with a projected release in the 2030s unless her appeal succeeds or she receives clemency.
Legal Context And Reactions
Lawmakers framed Maxwell's refusal to testify as tied to a possible clemency strategy, noting that a presidential pardon would apply to federal convictions and thus could, in theory, affect Maxwell's case. The Constitution grants presidents broad authority to issue pardons for offenses against the US, and a president can only pardon federal convictions.
News reports cited disputes over Maxwell's finances, with filings showing she once held more than $20 million jointly with her spouse, while her defense said resources declined after Epstein's death and ensuing litigation. The Department of Justice described many allegations in newly released Epstein files as "untrue and sensationalist" and stated no credible evidence implicating Trump in crimes, even as Trump's name appears repeatedly in the documents.
Trump has expressed sympathy for Maxwell in past interviews, telling Axios he wished her well and noting he had met her "numerous times" over the years. Lawmakers continue to press for information about potential co‑conspirators, and Maxwell's invocation of the Fifth keeps the question of presidential clemency central to congressional and public debate.
