Washington, D.C.: Amid renewed public interest in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, author and Trump biographer Michael Wolff has claimed that President Donald Trump contemplated pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell after her arrest in 2020, fearing the potential fallout from what she might reveal during the probe.
Speaking on The Daily Beast podcast on Wednesday, Wolff alleged that Trump was “very wary” of Maxwell’s arrest and was concerned about what she could potentially disclose regarding his involvement, if any.
“He became very wary about the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell, and asked whether or not: ‘what could she say?’ ‘What would she say?’ And should he pardon her?” said Wolff.
Wolff also added that the idea of a pardon sparked concern within Trump’s inner circle.
“Behind the scenes, this was a discussion. Everybody around him was kind of like, ‘oh God, we hope she won’t say anything but we really hope he doesn’t pardon her,’” he claimed.
Ghislaine Maxwell, a longtime associate of Epstein, was arrested on July 2, 2020, months before the end of Trump’s term. She was later convicted in December 2021 for aiding Epstein in the sexual abuse of minors, and sentenced in June 2022.
Trump’s connection to Epstein, though publicly downplayed, has long been the subject of speculation due to past social associations. While Trump has denied any wrongdoing, Wolff’s remarks have once again stirred public scrutiny over the former president’s proximity to the case.
The Jeffrey Epstein controversy returned to the headlines this month after the U.S. Department of Justice issued a memo on July 5, stating it would not release further information about the Epstein probe. It also claimed that the much-rumored ‘black book’ of clients “does not exist.”
This decision was met with outrage from several Trump allies and MAGA influencers, including Laura Loomer and Elon Musk, who have accused the DOJ of shielding powerful individuals and demanded the full disclosure of the Epstein investigation.