TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — For the second consecutive day, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's longtime associate and convicted sex trafficker, was interviewed behind closed doors by top Justice Department officials in Tallahassee. It comes amid public pressure for full transparency in the Epstein investigation.
Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence at the Florida Correctional Institution, arrived early Thursday morning at the federal courthouse, where attorneys began filing in around 8:45 a.m. for what sources described as another day of interviews.
At the center of the talks is U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche — a former personal attorney to President Donald Trump. His leading role in the Maxwell meetings has raised sharp criticism from advocacy groups and legal experts, who say the optics of the president’s own lawyer overseeing a politically sensitive case with personal implications create a glaring conflict of interest.
"Round two — ready to go," said Maxwell's appellate attorney David Markus while entering the courthouse. "We're grateful for this opportunity to finally be able to say what really happened. Everything she says can be corroborated. She's telling the truth."
Hours later, Markus emphasized that Maxwell had not been offered any form of clemency or deal in exchange for her testimony.
"We haven't asked for anything," he told reporters before departing Friday. "This is not a situation where we're asking anything in return for testimony, or anything like that. Of course, everybody knows Miss Maxwell would welcome any relief. She's been in very difficult conditions for five years, and so she would welcome any relief. It's the right thing to do and we have faith that the right thing will happen sooner rather than later."
"She Answered Every Single Question"
Markus went on to describe the extent of Maxwell's cooperation over the two days of meetings, saying she "answered every single question asked of her over the last day and a half" and "never invoked a privilege, never refused to answer a question."
"We're very proud of her," he continued. “We're proud of how the process has worked over the past day and a half."
But the attorney did not shy away from renewing criticism of how Maxwell has been treated.
"She has been treated unfairly for the past five years. She didn’t get a fair trial," he said. "We're still appealing to the Supreme Court. We're going to be filing a reply on her cert petition on Monday."
He pointed to one juror who allegedly lied to get onto Maxwell's jury and reiterated that "no prosecutor even mentioned her until Epstein died." Markus also referenced the now-infamous non-prosecution agreement (NPA) signed by federal prosecutors in Florida during Epstein’s 2008 plea deal.
"We're appealing on a very important ground," Markus said. "The government at the time promised Jeffrey Epstein that any potential co-conspirators would not be prosecuted, and so she deserves that promise. I'm surprised—I don't think President Trump knows that the Justice Department took the position that promise should not be upheld. President Trump is the ultimate dealmaker. He knows that a promise made on behalf of the government should bind the government."
Conflict of Interest Concerns
While the DOJ has framed the interviews as part of a transparency initiative ordered by President Trump, critics point out that Trump himself may have reason to keep certain information hidden. A recent Wall Street Journal investigation revealed that Attorney General Pam Bondi informed the president back in May that his name appeared "multiple times" in sealed Epstein records.
The White House has not denied the report. While inclusion in the files does not indicate criminal wrongdoing, the revelation has amplified calls for an independent investigation.
Asked Thursday if he would consider pardoning Maxwell, President Trump responded, "It's something I haven't thought about. I'm allowed to do it. It is something I have not thought about."
Later, when pressed further about the DOJ’s interviews with Maxwell, the president offered a wide-ranging answer that deflected from the substance of the meeting.
"Well, I don't know about the meeting," said Trump. "I know it's taking place, and [Blanche] is a fantastic man. He's a great attorney, and people should really focus on how well the country is doing, or they should focus on the fact that Barack Hussein Obama led a coup, or they should focus on the fact that Larry Summers, from Harvard, or Bill Clinton, who you know very well, and lots of closer friends of Jeffrey Summers [sic] should be spoken about, because you know, Jeffery Epstein, should be spoken about… I had nothing to do with the guy."
Activists Demand Independent Oversight
Outside the courthouse, the women-led gender justice group UltraViolet launched a high-visibility protest, flying banners over the Florida Correctional Institution, the courthouse, and the state capitol. The message: "TRUMP AND BONDI ARE PROTECTING PREDATORS."
Elisa Batista, a campaign director with the group, called the DOJ's handling of the case under Attorney General Pam Bondi “abhorrent.”
"Let’s remind the public that Pam Bondi and Donald Trump used this case to gin up support with promises to release the files—and now they’re reneging,” Batista said. "Survivors have been invisible in this entire debacle."
Batista warned that continued delays and political maneuvering could backfire on Republicans—particularly in the upcoming midterm elections.
"Many of Trump's base supported him on this issue," she said. "Now that the promise to release the files is being broken, people are asking—what’s in those documents that’s so damaging?"
What Happens Next
Maxwell is expected to be deposed formally on Aug. 11, according to House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, who says the committee will travel to Tallahassee to conduct the interview in person. It remains unclear whether that session will be made public or if the sealed Epstein documents will be released.
Meanwhile, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers are pushing for greater accountability. Advocacy groups continue to demand the appointment of a third-party special investigator to oversee the Epstein probe — free from political influence.
"This all smells,” Batista added. "If justice is going to happen, it can't be led by those who may be implicated."
