Trump admin weighs releasing Ghislaine Maxwell interview audio, transcript
Top Trump administration officials will gather at Vice President JD Vance’s house Wednesday, Aug. 6, to discuss the Jeffrey Epstein case, according to CNN. The group will continue debating the release of the audio recordings and transcript from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s recent conversation with Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.
Blanche, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel are all expected to attend.
The discussion follows questions raised about Maxwell’s transfer from a Florida prison to a minimum-security prison in Texas, just days after her meetings with Blanche.
Maxwell’s interview and transfer
President Donald Trump denied having anything to do with Maxwell’s transfer while speaking with reporters on Tuesday, and also defended the credibility of Blanche’s interview with Maxwell.
“I didn’t know about it at all, no, I read about it just like you did,” Trump said.
“Do you believe that she’s credible to be listening to? Your deputy attorney general sat down with her recently,” a reporter asked.
“I will say this, Todd Blanche is one of the most highly respected people you’ll ever meet. So I know this,” Trump said. “I didn’t discuss it with him, but anything he talked about with her or the fact that he did that, not unusual, number one, and most importantly, is something that would be totally above board.”
Blanche’s interview comes as the DOJ works to identify who else was involved in Epstein’s crimes.
The Justice Department has been digitizing and redacting the interview transcripts, as discussions continue on whether to release them. According to CNN, there are over 10 hours of audio, and portions of the transcript could reveal sensitive details, such as victim names. Officials will have to redact those names prior to potential release.
Unsealing grand jury testimony
Meanwhile, Maxwell’s attorneys have pushed back after the Justice Department issued a request to unseal grand jury testimony against Maxwell.
The DOJ’s filing requests that the court qualify the cases as a matter of public interest. The department wants grand jury transcripts released and protective orders lifted.
In a court filing on Tuesday, Maxwell’s lawyers stated that unsealing the testimony would be “a broad intrusion into grand jury secrecy in a case where the defendant is alive, her legal options are viable and her due process rights remain.”
Her attorneys also said Maxwell has not been given the opportunity to review the grand jury material.
Who is Ghislane Maxwell
Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence after a 2022 judge found her guilty of helping Epstein abuse underage girls.
As of July 2025, she’s asking the Supreme Court to overturn her ruling, saying she was protected by Epstein’s 2007 non-prosecution agreement (NPA) between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Southern District of Florida.
The Supreme Court has indicated it will consider whether to hear Maxwell’s case in September.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
