Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted sex trafficker, is reportedly weighing a pardon request from former President Donald Trump.
Maxwell’s friends think Trump might free her. “The Mirror” says inmates suggested a pardon. Friends and family now support this idea. A prison source spoke about the situation.
She said Trump issues many pardons now. Maxwell’s friends joked she should seek one. They know she and Trump were close. This joke turned into a serious plan.
Maxwell kept Trump’s Epstein friendship a secret. Trump rewards loyalty, the source said. Her conviction happened under Biden. Sources say Trump knows she has information on him.
Trump knew Epstein and Maxwell for a long time. He was filmed discussing girls with Epstein. A 2020 story about Maxwell worried Trump.
The story said Maxwell thought intelligence groups protected her. Epstein and she gave them information. She thought Prince Andrew and others protected her. She also thought Trump protected her then.
The article said Trump was an acquaintance of them. Maggie Haberman wrote about Trump’s reaction. He asked aides about the article mentioning him. He then asked if Maxwell said anything.
Maxwell and Trump socialized a lot. They were seen at events in the 1990s and 2000s. Trump said he knew her well when she was arrested. He wished her well, raising eyebrows for some.
Presidents can grant clemency for crimes. Trump pardoned many after the Capitol riot. He also pardoned Steve Bannon and Charles Kushner.
Maxwell’s allies claim her trial was unfair. They say she was a scapegoat for Epstein’s crimes. Epstein died in jail in 2019. Her supporters say it was a way to hide the truth.
A source says Maxwell feels unfairly targeted. Some now think is a good time to seek clemency. They want to advocate for her behind the scenes. Maxwell still insists she is innocent of the charges.
Maxwell could be transferred to a UK prison. Trump’s Justice Department could approve this. Her British sentence would be shorter. She has about 15 years left to serve now.
British law could shorten it by a third. This means she could serve only ten more years. This move could upset Epstein’s victims. Trump hasn’t released Epstein’s associates list.
He promised the list during his 2024 campaign. People feel frustrated over the secrecy. He hasn’t spoken about it since. Some call it political posturing by the former president himself.
Critics fear aiding Maxwell would protect Epstein’s network. Trump denies wrongdoing with Epstein. Helping Maxwell could cause a huge backlash.
A pardon would be seen as leniency. A transfer looks like a backdoor deal. Maxwell is in a Florida prison today.