10.02.2026 07:20
Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence, did not answer questions using the Fifth Amendment during a closed session of the House Oversight Committee; her lawyer stated that Maxwell is prepared to make statements that would clear the names of Trump and Bill Clinton in the Epstein files if Donald Trump grants her a pardon. This threat from Maxwell drew significant backlash from the lawmakers.
Ghislaine Maxwell, one of Jeffrey Epstein's former associates, refused to answer questions posed to her during a closed session before the U.S. House of Representatives Oversight Committee and invoked her right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment. However, her lawyer stated that Maxwell had come up with an unusual proposal: she would be willing to declare that the names associated with Trump in the Epstein scandal are innocent only if former President Donald Trump grants her clemency.
REFUSED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence in federal prison. The committee called Maxwell to testify via video link, but she did not answer any questions. After the closed session, lawmakers assessed that Maxwell's statement that she would only speak if a guarantee of clemency was provided was a discouraging and manipulative attempt.
"I CAN CLEAR THE ALLEGATIONS"
Maxwell's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, stated in a brief explanation to committee members that Maxwell could "clear" the allegations involving Trump and former President Bill Clinton in relation to the Epstein scandal and could say that these individuals were misunderstood. However, it was expressed that these statements could only come true if Trump exercised his clemency power.
LAWMAKERS REACT TO THIS STAND
Some Republican lawmakers argued that Trump should completely dismiss this possibility; Democrats, on the other hand, assessed Maxwell's statement as a strategy to seek support for herself and evade punishment. The issue of clemency remains a controversial topic within the Trump administration.
Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer noted that Maxwell's testimony being interrupted in this way complicates the progress of the investigation and announced that more witnesses would be called to testify in the coming weeks. These individuals include former high-profile businesspeople, politicians, and others believed to be connected to the Epstein case.