President Donald Trump has twice stated that he does not rule out the possibility of pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate of Jeffrey Epstein. During press interactions in late July 2025, Trump emphasized that while he has the authority to issue such a pardon, he has not yet seriously considered doing so. When asked directly if he would “rule out” a pardon for Maxwell, Trump replied, “Well, I’m allowed to give her a pardon,” but added that no one had approached him about it or requested such a pardon126.
Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 on child sex trafficking charges related to her role in facilitating Epstein’s abuse of underage girls, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in Florida. In recent weeks, she met with senior Justice Department officials as part of ongoing investigations into the Epstein case. Maxwell’s lawyer indicated she answered “every single question” honestly during these interviews and expressed hope for some relief or even a pardon, although they have not formally asked the Trump administration for clemency510.
Trump’s remarks came amid heightened public scrutiny and political controversy over how his administration has handled the Epstein files and related investigations. He repeatedly distanced himself from Epstein, claiming he had no connection to the late financier and had never visited Epstein’s private island, while naming other high-profile individuals with links to Epstein on whom he felt scrutiny should be focused instead31214.
While Trump stated on two occasions that he had “not thought about pardoning Maxwell,” he left open the possibility, underscoring that the presidential pardon power legally allows him to do so without restriction. This stance has fueled debate among politicians and the media, with some urging that if Maxwell provides valuable information, clemency might be warranted to incentivize cooperation, while others criticize any notion of pardon given the severity of her crimes71115.
In summary, Trump has twice said he has not ruled out pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, affirming his legal authority to do so but maintaining that it is not a decision he has contemplated at length12.
Sources:
- https://people.com/trump-wont-comment-ghislaine-maxwell-pardon-11780362
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/25/us/politics/ghislaine-maxwell-trump-pardon.html
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- https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-epstein-files-news-07-25-25
