Attorney General to Seek Testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell in Epstein Case

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to seek testimony from Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted accomplice of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, in connection with the Epstein case. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison on sex trafficking charges.

On Tuesday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealed that he had reached out to Maxwell’s legal team to inquire about her willingness to speak with federal investigators. Blanche also noted that no prior U.S. administration had made any effort to contact Maxwell regarding her role in the Epstein case, despite her conviction as Epstein’s co-conspirator.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for trafficking underage girls to Epstein, whom she dated and assisted for years. Her status as a convicted co-conspirator directly contradicts a July 6 memo issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi declaring that Epstein had no co-conspirators, a conclusion many have called into question.

Blanche’s announcement—made under Bondi’s direction—is widely seen as an attempt by the Trump administration to placate its base following a wave of public outrage over the Department of Justice’s decision to close the Epstein case without pursuing additional leads. Critics have questioned why Maxwell was never previously called upon to testify, despite being at the center of the network that brought young girls to Epstein.

Adding to the controversy, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson unexpectedly called for an early congressional recess on Tuesday, effectively shutting down legislative business a day ahead of schedule. The move canceled a planned Thursday vote led by Democratic lawmakers seeking to force the release of sealed Epstein-related documents.

Congress had originally planned to remain in session through the end of Thursday. Johnson’s decision to adjourn early has been characterized by critics as a deliberate attempt to derail the Epstein files vote—deepening suspicions of political interference in what has become an increasingly explosive scandal for the Trump administration.

The sudden pivot to engage Maxwell, years after her conviction and with little prior federal interest, raises further questions about the handling of the Epstein case at the highest levels of government.