In Oval Office Remarks, Trump Says He Will “Take a Look” at Whether to Grant a Pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell Following Supreme Court’s Denial of Her Latest Appeal

Donald Trump said he would “take a look” at the possibility of a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell when asked about the matter during an Oval Office press availability on Monday, 7 October.

In 2021, Maxwell received a 20-year prison sentence after a jury found she had recruited underage girls for Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender. The verdict included sex trafficking of minors, conspiracy to entice a minor to travel for unlawful sexual acts, and conspiracy to transport a minor for criminal sexual activity.

Maxwell’s lawyers have long argued that her prosecution should have been barred by a non-prosecution agreement previously made between Epstein and the U.S. government, ABC News reports. She has made multiple attempts to secure a retrial in recent years, all of which have been denied by federal courts.

Trump, asked whether he would consider a pardon, responded: “You know, I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look.” He added: “I’ll look at it … a lot of people have asked me for pardons,” and said, “I wouldn’t consider it or not consider — I don’t know anything about it. I will speak to the DOJ.”

Trump’s comments followed the U.S. Supreme Court’s denial of Maxwell’s latest appeal, which had been based on the alleged effect of a prior non-prosecution agreement. The Department of Justice had urged the Court to reject the appeal.

Maxwell’s lawyer, David Oscar Markus, said to the Independent that her legal team was extremely disappointed by the outcome. He emphasized that the case isn’t finished: substantial factual and legal issues remain, and they intend to explore every option to achieve a just result.