The long-simmering controversy over Jeffrey Epstein’s associations with powerful figures reached a new crescendo this week, as the Department of Justice (DOJ) released over 300 pages of interview transcripts and audio files from two days of conversations between Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime confidante and convicted accomplice. The documents, released on August 22, 2025, come amid mounting political pressure and renewed public interest in the wake of the Trump administration’s handling of the so-called “Epstein files.”
Maxwell, currently serving a 20-year sentence for her role in Epstein’s sex trafficking operation, was questioned by Blanche in late July. The interviews, which the DOJ said were made public “in the interest of transparency,” shed light on the relationships Epstein maintained with high-profile figures—including former President Donald Trump—and the persistent rumors of a secret “client list” implicating the world’s elite. The transcripts also reveal the deep skepticism and frustration that continue to surround the government’s investigation into Epstein’s crimes and death.
During the interviews, Maxwell offered her perspective on the nature of Trump’s relationship with Epstein, describing the two men as “friendly” but not close. “I don’t know how they met, and I don’t know how they became friends,” Maxwell told Blanche, according to the transcript released by the DOJ. “I certainly saw them together, and I remember the few times I observed them together, but they were friendly. I mean, they seemed friendly.” She emphasized that their interactions were strictly social, adding, “I only ever saw them in social settings, and I didn’t recall any private settings in which I observed the president and Epstein interact.”
Maxwell was unequivocal in her denial of any inappropriate conduct by Trump. “I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way. The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects,” she stated. She also dismissed allegations that Trump was ever involved in the massage sessions that became infamous in the Epstein case: “I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting.”
As for her own ties to Trump, Maxwell explained that she likely met him in the 1990s through her father, British media mogul Robert Maxwell. “My father liked Trump very much,” she said, noting that Trump “was very cordial and very kind” to her. Maxwell claimed the last time she saw Trump was in the mid-2000s, and she expressed admiration for his political ascent, saying, “I admire his extraordinary achievement in becoming the president now. And I like him, and I’ve always liked him.”
The release of the interview transcripts follows a period of intense scrutiny for the Trump administration. In July 2025, the DOJ and FBI issued a joint memo concluding that Epstein did not keep a “client list” and that no additional documents needed to be made public. This finding, which closed the investigation into Epstein’s death—ruled a suicide in 2019—was met with skepticism from both sides of the political aisle. According to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, the DOJ’s stance fueled suspicions among Trump’s supporters and critics alike, many of whom accused the administration of concealing damaging information.
President Trump, for his part, has repeatedly dismissed the controversy as politically motivated. On August 23, 2025, he told reporters, “I’m in support of them keeping it open. Innocent people shouldn’t be hurt, but I’m in support of keeping it totally open. I couldn’t care less.” Trump insisted he had directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to provide Congress with “everything you can give them” regarding Epstein files, and labeled the ongoing investigation a “Democrat hoax.”
Despite Trump’s public support for transparency, polling indicates that most U.S. adults disapprove of the administration’s handling of the Epstein investigation. Some of Trump’s own “Make America Great Again” base have pressed for the release of more files, while House Democrats have raised concerns about possible witness tampering after Maxwell was moved to a minimum-security federal prison in Texas—an institution that also houses former Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. In a letter to Bondi, several lawmakers suggested the transfer could be an attempt to “coax Ms. Maxwell into providing false or misleading testimony in order to protect the President.”
Maxwell’s testimony has not gone unchallenged. Legal experts and the families of Epstein’s victims have questioned her credibility, pointing to her previous perjury charges and suggesting that her statements may be motivated by hopes of a presidential pardon. Former U.S. District Attorney Joyce Vance commented on social media, “Maxwell knows Trump is her only chance for release. That means any ‘new’ testimony she offers is inherently unreliable unless backed by evidence.” The family of Virginia Giuffre, who has accused both Epstein and Maxwell of abuse, was blunt in its condemnation: “During DAG Todd Blanche’s bizarre interview, [Maxwell] is never challenged about her court-proven lies, providing her a platform to rewrite history. This travesty of injustice entirely invalidates the experiences of the many brave survivors who put their safety, security, and lives on the line to ensure [Maxwell’s] conviction, including our sister.”
The interviews also addressed other persistent rumors, including the existence of a “client list” or “blackmail” materials. Maxwell was adamant: “There is no list. There is no—I’m not aware of any blackmail. I never heard that. I never saw it, never imagined it.” She also denied introducing Epstein to minors and refuted claims that she or Epstein recruited workers from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. “I’ve never recruited a masseuse from Mar-a-Lago,” Maxwell stated, contradicting accusations made by Virginia Giuffre.
On the subject of Epstein’s death, Maxwell expressed doubts about the official conclusion of suicide. “In prison, where I am, they will kill you or they will pay—somebody can pay a prisoner to kill you for $25 worth of commissary,” she told prosecutors. “If it is indeed murder, I believe it was an internal situation.” She also dismissed conspiracy theories linking Epstein to foreign intelligence agencies, saying she had no knowledge of any such connections.
As the dust settles from this latest release, the central questions remain unresolved for many Americans: Who, if anyone, will be held accountable for the web of abuse spun by Epstein and his associates? And can the public ever expect full transparency from those entrusted to investigate the powerful? The release of the Maxwell transcripts may offer some answers, but for survivors and their advocates, the search for justice continues.
