Trump feared Ghislaine Maxwell amid Epstein files row, considered pardoning her: Author

Biographer Michael Wolff alleges that Trump contemplated pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell after her arrest, fearing what she might disclose.

Published on: Jul 11, 2025, 05:56:49 IST

By Shamik Banerjee

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Amid the controversy over Jeffrey Epstein's files, a claim that President Trump once considered pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, one of Epstein's key accomplices, has gained ground.

It has been fueled by none other than Michael Wolff, the biographer of President Trump. Wolff claimed that after Maxwell's arrest, Trump "very weary" of information that she could reveal in the Epstein probe, and hence, considered pardoning her.

Wolff appeared as a guest on The Daily Beast podcast on Wednesday and made these claims about Trump possibly pardoning Maxwell. Wolf claimed that the 79-year-old “became very wary about the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell, and asked whether or not: ‘what could she say?’ ‘What would she say?’ And should he pardon her?"

Jeffery Epstein, who was convicted of sexual abuse of hundreds of children, died at a New York federal prison in 2019. Maxwell was arrested for being an accomplice to Epstein on July 2, 2020, towards the end of Trump's first term as President. She was convicted in December 2021 and was sentenced in June 2022.

Also read: Jeffrey Epstein is still causing trouble for Donald Trump

Wolff revealed that after Maxwell's arrest, there was discussion in the Trump camp on whether she would reveal anything connected to the President. “Behind the scenes, this was a discussion. Everybody around him was kind of like, ‘oh God, we hope she won’t say anything but we really hope he doesn’t pardon her,’” Wolff said.

The Jeffrey Epstein controversy shot back to national media attention earlier this month after the US Department of Justice released a memo on July 5 saying that no further information on the investigations into the Jeffrey Epstein case will be released by the Justice Department. The memo also stated that the infamous 'black book' of Epstein, which allegedly contained a client list, does not exist.

Notably, the decision not to release the Epstein file has not sat well with supporters of Donald Trump. Many prominent MAGA influencers, such as Laura Loomer, as well as Trump's former 'first buddy' Elon Musk, have slammed the Justice Department and called for the public release of more information on the probe.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shamik Banerjee
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More

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