IN A REMARKABLE twist in the Jeffrey Epstein case, convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell will meet with Trump’s Justice Department “in coming days” as the administration faces intense pressure from MAGA supporters demanding the release of all Epstein-related files.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche confirmed Tuesday morning that he has contacted Maxwell’s counsel and expects to meet with the 63-year-old British socialite, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in Epstein’s child sex trafficking ring. The extraordinary announcement comes after weeks of controversy and criticism of the Trump administration for reneging on promises to make public more investigative files.
“President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,” Blanche said in a statement posted to X by Attorney General Pam Bondi. If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.
First Government Approach to Maxwell
Maxwell’s attorney David Oscar Markus told CNN the team is in discussions to have Maxwell tell her side of the story. “I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,” Markus said. “We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.”
Blanche’s statement acknowledges that no administration or DOJ has ever asked Maxwell to speak with them about the Epstein case. “Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government,” he wrote. “That changes now.”
A source close to Maxwell told the Daily Mail she would be “more than happy” to testify before Congress. “No-one from the government has ever asked her to share what she knows,” the source said. She remains the only person to be jailed in connection to Epstein and she would welcome the chance to tell the American public the truth.
MAGA Base in Full Revolt
The announcement represents a dramatic reversal from the Department of Justice’s position just two weeks ago. On 7 July, the DOJ and FBI issued a joint memo declaring that after a “thorough review”, no new evidence had surfaced to support investigations into uncharged third parties.
That memo enraged Trump’s MAGA base, who have been demanding the release of what they believe is an “Epstein client list” containing names of powerful figures who allegedly participated in his crimes. The fury intensified when Bondi walked back promises she had made in February, when she told Fox News that an Epstein client list was “sitting on my desk right now.
Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer has called for Bondi to be fired, warning in an interview with Politico that Trump’s handling of the Epstein files threatens to “consume his presidency. “The best thing that the president can do is appoint a special counsel to handle the Epstein files investigation,” she said.
Trump Defends Embattled Attorney General
President Trump tried desperately to get his base to abandon criticism of Bondi after the July memo concluded the review found no foul play in Epstein’s death. The president even started calling the whole ordeal the “Epstein hoax” and claimed Democrats were to blame for stoking conspiracies to divide Republicans.
“What’s going on with my ‘boys’ and, in some cases, ‘gals?'” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the weekend. “They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening.”
Trump called some of Bondi’s most vocal critics over the weekend in an effort to stem the bleeding, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. He urged FBI Director Kash Patel to focus on the president’s own priorities, including investigating “Voter Fraud” and “The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020”.
Internal Administration Conflict
The Epstein files controversy has caused significant infighting within the administration. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has told people he is considering resigning amid a major clash with Bondi over the handling of the case, according to multiple sources.
Bongino and Bondi had a heated confrontation in the White House last Wednesday, witnessed by FBI Director Kash Patel, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich. “Pam said her piece. Dan said his piece. It didn’t end on friendly terms,” said one person briefed on the discussion.
Bongino, who had pushed Epstein conspiracy theories as a podcast host before joining the administration, was reportedly displeased with Bondi’s handling because she had “publicly overpromised and underdelivered” on disclosures about an alleged client list that apparently never existed.
Supreme Court Appeal Opposed
Just last week, the DOJ opposed Maxwell’s request to have the Supreme Court review her case. Her lawyers claim she should never have been charged because of a 2008 plea deal the courts struck with Epstein.
Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of crimes related to procuring and grooming teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein, who killed himself in a federal jail in August 2019, a month after his arrest on child sex trafficking charges.
Deputy Attorney General Blanche insisted Tuesday that the 7 July joint memo from the DOJ and FBI “remains as accurate today as it was when it was written”. The memo stated that the department’s review did not uncover any new evidence that could bring charges against others potentially involved in the crimes.
Congressional Pressure Mounts
The pressure isn’t just coming from Trump’s base. House Speaker Mike Johnson became the highest-ranking Republican to say he wants to see more details from the investigation. “I’m for transparency,” Johnson told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson. “It’s a very delicate subject but we should put everything out there and let the people decide it.”
House Republicans have “virtually stopped work on all major legislation” leading up to their summer recess to avoid taking votes on forcing the release of the Epstein files, according to reports.
Democratic politicians have also seized on the issue. New York Representative Ritchie Torres posted on X: “Dear Donald Trump and Pam Bondi: Release the Epstein files. What ever happened to ‘Promises Made, Promises Kept?'”
Seeking Court Permission
When the MAGA revolt didn’t subside, Trump directed Bondi last week to request the Southern District of New York to unseal grand jury testimony in the Epstein court case. The formal request came after Trump said he asked Bondi to “produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval”.
This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead,” Blanche said in his Tuesday statement.
It remains unclear what Maxwell might reveal in her meeting with Blanche, or whether she will seek any reduction in her prison term in exchange for cooperation. She is currently serving her sentence at a federal prison in Florida.
The meeting between Maxwell and the Trump administration represents an extraordinary development in a case that has captivated public attention for years, particularly because of Epstein’s ties to wealthy and high-profile figures including former presidents, business leaders and celebrities.
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