Ghislaine Maxwell met for a second straight day with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche in a closed-door session, as the Trump administration faces mounting demands to release additional files tied to Jeffrey Epstein. Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida federal prison, was accompanied by her attorney, David Markus, during the discussions in Tallahassee.
Blanche, a former defense attorney for President Trump, led the DOJ delegation. Markus said the meetings were “very productive,” and emphasized Maxwell has answered all questions without invoking any privilege. “She has no reason to lie at this point,” Markus told reporters. “We’re grateful for this opportunity to finally be able to say what really happened.”
The meetings come amid renewed calls from lawmakers and Trump supporters to declassify Epstein investigation files. On July 23, a federal judge in Florida denied a Justice Department request to unseal grand jury records from Epstein’s 2005–2007 investigation. Critics have accused the DOJ of negotiating a “corrupt deal” with Maxwell. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned the talks could be an effort to shield elites.
Maxwell’s legal team is also preparing an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing her prosecution violated a 2007 plea agreement Epstein struck with federal prosecutors in Florida. Her final written brief is due July 28.
President Trump denied considering a pardon for Maxwell. “It’s something I haven’t thought about,” he said on July 25. Trump also reiterated he had “nothing to do” with Epstein and denied ever visiting Epstein’s island.
Maxwell was convicted for assisting Epstein in grooming and sexually abusing underage girls between 1994 and 2004. She is currently held at FCI Tallahassee, a federal women’s prison known for poor conditions and overcrowding.
