DOJ requests meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell in Epstein case
The Department of Justice is sending one of its top officials to meet with Ghislaine Maxwell, the jailed associate of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted of sex trafficking in 2021. The DOJ says this marks the first time the government has formally asked whether Maxwell is willing to speak with federal authorities.
Meeting expected within days
The DOJ says it has contacted Maxwell’s attorneys to arrange a meeting “within the next few days,” aiming to determine whether she is willing to cooperate and share new details about Epstein’s involvement in sex trafficking.
Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the development in a post on X, stating that Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has “communicated with counsel for Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak.”
“President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,” Blanche said. “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.”
Blanche added in a separate X post, “For the first time, the Department of Justice is reaching out to Ghislaine Maxwell to ask: what do you know?”
FBI Director Kash Patel shared Bondi’s post with the two-word caption: “Get it.”
Memo sparked backlash among Trump’s base
This latest push for information in the Epstein case follows growing backlash after the DOJ and FBI released a two-page memo earlier this month. The memo stated that Epstein had no client list and confirmed he died by suicide.
The document angered many in the MAGA base — particularly after statements from President Donald Trump on the campaign trail about releasing the government’s files on Epstein.
Trump, facing criticism from within his own party, dismissed questions about the case.
“Instead of talking about what we’ve achieved, they’re wasting their time with a guy who obviously had serious problems who died three or four years ago,” Trump said during an Oval Office meeting on July 16. “I’d rather talk about the success we’ve had. Instead, they want to talk about the Epstein hoax, and the sad part is, it is people that are doing Democrats’ work. They are stupid people.”
Trump calls for DOJ to release more files
Amid the backlash, Trump has ordered the DOJ to release “credible” evidence in the case and has called for a federal judge to unseal grand jury testimony related to Epstein.
The move to seek cooperation from Ghislaine Maxwell suggests the administration is continuing to pursue the case, despite a recent memo that was widely seen as signaling the end of the investigation.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
