Ghislaine Maxwell tells DOJ she 'always liked' and still 'admires' Trump in newly released transcript

WASHINGTON, DC: Ghislaine Maxwell, a former associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, told the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a recent interview that she "always liked" President Donald Trump and still "admires" him.

The DOJ released a redacted transcript of the interview, which took place last month. Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for sex trafficking and other crimes connected to Epstein.

Ghislaine Maxwell calls Trump a 'gentleman'

During the interview with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Ghislaine Maxwell said, "I actually never saw the president in any type of massage setting. I never witnessed the president in any inappropriate setting in any way."

She further described Donald Trump as "always very cordial" and "very kind" to her, calling him a "gentleman in all respects."

"I admire his extraordinary achievement in becoming president. And I like him, and I’ve always liked him," she added.

Maxwell concluded, "That is the sum and substance of my entire relationship with him."

The release of the transcript comes as Trump continues to face scrutiny over past associations with Epstein. Back in 2002, Trump said of Epstein, "I have known Jeff for 15 years. Terrific guy. He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side."

"No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life," Trump said at the time

During the 2024 campaign trail, Trump often promised to release the "Epstein files" if he became president. However, his administration has since downplayed the matter. On Friday, August 22, Trump dismissed the "whole Epstein thing" as a hoax.

Ghislaine Maxwell claims 'there is no Epstein list'

When asked during the DOJ interview whether the so-called Epstein files exist, Maxwell replied, "There is no list that I am aware of. I’ve never, at any time, at least during the period of time when I was present."

The interview took place after Maxwell’s transfer from a restrictive Florida prison to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas, a move that itself drew criticism.

Maxwell has sought to overturn or reduce her 20-year sentence and has often claimed she did not witness incriminating events when pressed for details. Victims of Epstein and their families criticized the DOJ interview, arguing Maxwell would say anything to protect herself and Trump

She also stated there were no significant details in the US government’s investigative files that had not already been made public.