On August 22, 2025, the U.S. Justice Department made headlines by releasing hundreds of pages of transcripts from a recent two-day interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former confidante of Jeffrey Epstein. The move followed months of mounting political pressure and public curiosity about the extent of Epstein's connections to powerful figures, including former President Donald Trump. The transcripts, as reported by the Associated Press, NBC News, and other major outlets, offered a rare glimpse into Maxwell's recollections and denials, as well as the Justice Department’s ongoing efforts to address conspiracy theories swirling around the Epstein saga.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, a former criminal defense lawyer for Trump, conducted the interviews with Maxwell last month at a Florida courthouse. Maxwell, convicted in 2021 for sex trafficking and related crimes, is currently serving a 20-year sentence. The Justice Department granted her limited immunity for the interview—meaning she could speak freely about her criminal case without fear of additional prosecution, except in the event of false statements. This arrangement, according to the AP, did not promise her any other benefits.
Much of the public interest in these transcripts centered on Maxwell’s long-standing associations with high-profile individuals. Under questioning, Maxwell repeatedly denied witnessing any inappropriate conduct by Donald Trump. "I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way," she stated, according to the Justice Department’s transcript. "The president was never inappropriate with anybody. In the times that I was with him, he was a gentleman in all respects." Maxwell recalled first meeting Trump in 1990, when her father, Robert Maxwell, was the owner of the New York Daily News, and described Trump as “always very cordial and very kind to me.” She emphasized that she had visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, sometimes alone, but hadn’t seen him since the mid-2000s.
Maxwell also addressed rumors about Trump’s alleged involvement in Epstein's world. When asked if she had ever heard Epstein or anyone else say that Trump “had done anything inappropriate with masseuses” or anyone else, Maxwell responded emphatically: "Absolutely never, in any context." She further stated, "I never, ever saw any man doing something inappropriate with a woman of any age. I never saw inappropriate habits." These comments, made public as the Trump administration faced fierce backlash over its earlier refusal to release Epstein-related records, appeared calculated to distance the former president from the disgraced financier’s criminal enterprise.
The release of these transcripts comes amid a broader effort by the Justice Department to address longstanding demands for transparency. On the same day, the department began transferring thousands of pages of Epstein-related documents to the House Oversight Committee. According to a statement from the committee, these records will be reviewed and, after redacting sensitive information, made public. The committee pledged to consult with the Justice Department to ensure that ongoing investigations would not be compromised by the release.
The Maxwell transcripts also shed light on other prominent figures. Maxwell denied ever seeing Hillary Clinton associate with Epstein, stating, "I would say no," when asked if the two had any dealings. She allowed that Epstein may have donated money to the Clinton Foundation, but insisted any such donation would have been independent of her. Maxwell was equally dismissive of claims that former President Bill Clinton visited Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands: "He never, absolutely never went," she told Blanche. "I can be sure of that because there’s no way he would’ve gone. I don’t believe there’s any way that he would’ve gone to the island, had I not been there. Because I don’t believe he had an independent friendship, if you will, with Epstein."
As for other celebrities whose names have surfaced in unsealed records, Maxwell clarified that, to her knowledge, actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker did not visit any of Epstein’s properties. She did note that supermodel Naomi Campbell had a friendship with Epstein that was independent of Maxwell herself. Regarding Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Maxwell said she "never saw anything inappropriate" involving Kennedy and masseuses or young women, although she acknowledged that Kennedy had traveled on Epstein’s plane, as had Trump and Clinton. All have denied any wrongdoing.
The transcripts also addressed one of the most persistent conspiracy theories surrounding the Epstein case: the existence of a so-called “client list” or “black book” implicating powerful individuals. Maxwell was unequivocal: "Yeah, there is no list. We'll start with that," she said. Pressed further, she added, "Absolutely no. There is no list. I’m not aware of any blackmail. I never heard that. I never saw it, and I never imagined it." The Justice Department, in a memo last month, echoed this conclusion, stating that a systematic review of the evidence had turned up no such incriminating client list.
Maxwell’s views on Epstein’s death—another flashpoint for speculation—were also made public. She told Blanche, "I do not believe he died by suicide." However, she dismissed the idea that Epstein was murdered to keep him silent about powerful associates, calling it "ludicrous" and suggesting that if foul play was involved, it was more likely an "internal situation." This skepticism stands in contrast to the official findings: the FBI, in a July memo, reaffirmed the original ruling by the New York City Medical Examiner that Epstein’s 2019 death in a federal jail cell was a suicide.
Not everyone is convinced by Maxwell’s denials or her new claims. Brittany Henderson, an attorney for numerous Epstein victims, accused Maxwell of seeking clemency from Trump and argued, "I can’t imagine that her testimony will be given much weight by anyone with any knowledge whatsoever of her involvement with Jeffrey Epstein." Prosecutors and Judge Alison Nathan, who sentenced Maxwell to 20 years in prison, have previously criticized her for dishonesty and for refusing to accept responsibility for her actions.
Following her interview with Blanche, Maxwell was transferred from a low-security federal prison in Florida to a minimum-security camp in Texas—a move that drew criticism from some former Bureau of Prisons officials, who argued it appeared to be special treatment. Her attorney, David Markus, maintains her innocence, stating, "She never committed or participated in sexual abuse against minors, or anyone else for that matter." Markus also praised the Justice Department for releasing the transcripts, saying, "We are thankful... so that people can judge for themselves."
For the Trump administration, the public release of these transcripts and documents is an attempt to turn the page on a story that has consumed Washington and fueled endless speculation. Trump himself, before the transcript release, expressed support for transparency in the case. Yet, the move has not fully quelled the anger and suspicion from conspiracy theorists and political opponents alike. As the House Oversight Committee prepares to review and publish further records, the public’s appetite for answers—and for accountability—remains undiminished.
The Justice Department’s decision to air these interviews and documents marks a notable, if not final, chapter in the Epstein saga—a case where the shadows of power, scandal, and secrecy continue to draw intense scrutiny from every corner of American life.
