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Liam O'Dell
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Despite previously branding the Epstein Files as a “Democrat hoax”, US president Donald Trump didn’t shy away from the question of whether he would pardon convicted child sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell – the former partner of disgraced financier and paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – on Monday.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year jail term after being convicted of child sex offences, and had an appeal against sex trafficking charges rejected by the US Supreme Court earlier that day.
In response to a question from CNN’s Kaitlan Collins about a potential pardon, Trump replied: “You know, I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this: I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look. Did they reject [the appeal?]”
When Collins explained the court’s decision, the president continued: “I’d say, well, I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ … I didn’t know they rejected it, I didn’t know she was even asking for it, frankly.”
It comes after the Republican also floated a Maxwell pardon in July, when he told reporters he was “allowed to do it” but that it was “something I haven’t thought about”.
A month later, Trump said he was not behind the order to have the ex-socialite moved from a Florida prison to a minimum security prison in Texas, and insisted a meeting between deputy attorney Todd Blanche and Maxwell wasn’t “unusual”.
And with his administration continuing to face pressure over the release of the Epstein Files, talk of pardoning Maxwell has enraged social media users:
Former adviser to Hillary Clinton, Adam Parkhomenko, said Trump’s comments were “peak clown show”:
“Can we all, as Americans, say that if Trump pardons Ghislaine Maxwell, he’s an evil person,” asked podcaster Ed Krassenstein:
Another question was asked by anti-Trumpism organisation The Lincoln Project, which tweeted: “MAGA, just checking in, are you now OK with a Ghislaine Maxwell pardon?”:
While Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, has previously said his client would “welcome” a presidential pardon, she has not formally sought one.
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