Ghislaine Maxwell talks Trump, Clinton and others in released DOJ tapes


Summary

Interviews released

The Justice Department released interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell, who denied trafficking or witnessing abuse despite her conviction.

Dismissed

She defended high-profile figures including Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew, dismissing claims of their involvement.

Rejected

Maxwell also rejected Virginia Giuffre’s allegations, calling them implausible.


Full story

The U.S. Justice Department has made public several hours of interviews between Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice and convicted sex trafficker of minors, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. The interviews took place over two days while Maxwell was in federal prison in Tallahassee.

She has since been moved to a minimum-security prison in Bryan, Texas. The files contain both redacted transcripts and audio recordings.

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Even though she was convicted for helping Epstein sexually abuse minors, she claimed during these interviews that she never trafficked anyone or saw anything illegal or involving minors.

She also said she believed all the so-called “masseuses” who worked on Epstein were adults.

“I saw him with lots of masseuses. I never saw a single masseuse ever look unhappy or not come back or whatever. So based on my observation, I don’t think that if you are being raped, as now he’s like this prolific — I just — I just can’t imagine why you would return,” Maxwell told Blanche.

“That’s not what you observed at the time?” Blanche asked.

“Not what I observed at the time, no,” Maxwell replied.

Claims about Trump, Clinton and Harvard figure

She also elaborated on Epstein’s relationship with high-profile friends, including President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, claiming neither one was a client.

“I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting. I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way. The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects,” Maxwell told Blanche, according to the transcripts. She also claims she was only ever around Trump in social settings, not private.

Maxwell also said that she was a personal friend of Bill Clinton before he had any kind of relationship with Epstein. When Blanche asked her if Clinton had ever received a massage, she said, “I don’t believe he did.”

Maxwell said the only times Clinton and Epstein were in the same place was when Clinton flew with Epstein “26 times or whatever,” adding, “I don’t believe there was ever a massage on the plane. So that would’ve been the only time that I think that President Clinton could have even received a massage. And he didn’t, because I was there.” She did elaborate that one of Epstein’s aircraft was equipped with a private quarters that had a bed.

Maxwell claims former Harvard Provost Henry Rosovsky received a massage.

“And why do you — why does that stick out in your memory?” Blanche asked.

“Because I saw him in a bathrobe at 71st Street, and he had received a massage, he told me,” Maxwell responded.

Defense of Prince Andrew, dismissal of Giuffre’s allegations

She also defended Prince Andrew and denied the accusations made by Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent accusers in Epstein’s case. Giuffre, whose name was redacted several times in the transcript, long claimed that Maxwell paid her to have sex with powerful men, including Prince Andrew. Maxwell rejects those claims.

Maxwell called Giuffre’s allegations “not conceivable” because her house was so tiny.

“Where she says that they had relations in a bathroom, I — first of all, the bath is an old Victorian bath. I could — I’m quite — quite small, it’s tight for me. I put my brother in there to see what would happen. And it looks like a blivet, which is a sausage in like a very tight skin. So her description of whatever the two people were doing in the tub, that wouldn’t work,” Maxwell said of Giuffre’s claims.

Maxwell spoke at length about Giuffre, claiming that she was a frequent drug user who was groomed by another man at a young age to perform sex acts.

Giuffre’s family said she died by suicide in April of this year. Authorities claim Epstein committed suicide while awaiting trial in August 2019.

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Why this story matters

The Justice Department’s release of Ghislaine Maxwell’s interview transcripts addresses widespread public and political scrutiny over transparency, high-profile associations in the Epstein case, and theories linked to prominent individuals.

Transparency and public trust

The release responds to demands for openness about the government’s handling of the Epstein case and aims to build accountability regarding investigations of powerful figures.

High-profile associations

Maxwell’s statements about President Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, and others highlight ongoing concerns and speculation about the involvement of influential people in Epstein’s crimes.

Conspiracy theories

Allegations of cover-ups, the existence of secret client lists and theories about Epstein’s death underscore public mistrust and the complexity of dispelling rumors connected to the case.

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Context corner

Maxwell's interview took place amid long-standing public scrutiny and conspiracy theories regarding Jeffrey Epstein's network and supposed client list, especially after his death by suicide in jail in 2019 which fueled widespread distrust of official accounts.

Oppo research

Opponents of the transcript release argue it is an attempt to exonerate Trump and limit further investigation, with critics quoted (such as victims' attorneys) saying Maxwell’s testimony should be viewed skeptically due to her conviction for perjury and sex trafficking.

Quote bank

"The President was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects," Maxwell said, per interview transcripts. David Oscar Markus, her attorney, stated, "Ghislaine Maxwell is innocent and never should have been tried, much less convicted, in this case."

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Media landscape

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Key points from the Left

  • Ghislaine Maxwell denied witnessing any inappropriate behavior by Donald Trump or Bill Clinton during interviews with the Justice Department, according to the transcripts released on August 22.
  • Maxwell described Trump as always being cordial and kind, emphasizing, 'I never witnessed the President in any inappropriate setting in any way.'
  • The transcripts were released amid backlash against the Trump administration for not disclosing information related to the Epstein case earlier, highlighting their attempt to present transparency.
  • Maxwell claimed she was given limited immunity, enabling her to speak freely without fear of prosecution for her statements.

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Key points from the Center

  • The Justice Department released transcripts on August 22, 2025, of interviews with Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein's imprisoned former associate.
  • The release followed internal tensions due to the Trump administration's earlier unfulfilled promises of significant disclosures about Epstein-related records.
  • Maxwell, serving a 20-year federal sentence, stated she may have met Donald Trump in 1990 through her father, Robert Maxwell, who was friendly with Trump and his then-wife Ivana.
  • She described Trump as always "cordial" and a gentleman, denying having witnessed him in any inappropriate setting or context including massage settings or his residence.
  • This disclosure aims to demonstrate transparency and mitigate political backlash amidst ongoing scrutiny over the so-called Epstein files and persistent conspiracy theories.

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Key points from the Right

  • Ghislaine Maxwell stated she never saw President Donald Trump in an inappropriate setting, noting, "The president was never inappropriate with anybody" during their acquaintance.
  • Maxwell expressed doubt about Jeffrey Epstein's suicide, saying, "I do not believe he died by suicide, no."
  • Maxwell denied the existence of an Epstein client list, calling public speculation a "witch hunt."
  • The Justice Department released transcripts of the interviews to counter speculation about Trump's link to Epstein following Epstein's death in 2019.

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