Elon Musk has weighed in on the possibility of President Donald Trump issuing a pardon to Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned associate of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
A user on X posted a meme that suggested Trump would pardon Maxwell after she “names a bunch of Democrats” and says Trump “did nothing wrong.” Musk responded to the post early Monday with a bull’s-eye emoji.
Newsweek reached out to Musk and the White House via email for comment outside regular office hours.
Why It Matters
Maxwell is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted of helping Epstein sexually abuse underage girls. She has appealed her case to the Supreme Court, which has not yet decided whether to take up the case.
Maxwell was questioned by the Department of Justice last week as the Trump administration continues to face pressure to release the government’s files on the investigation into Epstein, after the DOJ and FBI said in a July 7 memo that Epstein did not have a list of clients and that no additional records would be released to the public.
Questioned by reporters on Friday, Trump did not rule out the possibility of pardoning Maxwell.
Musk, once a staunch ally of Trump and the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, is among those calling for the release of the files. During his falling out with Trump last month, Musk said without evidence in a since-deleted social media post that the Epstein files had not been released because Trump was in them. The president dismissed that claim, saying he “had nothing to do with it.”
What To Know
Trump on Friday deflected reporters’ questions about pardoning Maxwell, saying that “I’m allowed to do it, but it’s something I have not thought about.”
He spoke as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell at a Florida federal courthouse for a second day.
Blanche said on social media last week that Maxwell would be interviewed because of Trump’s directive to gather and release any credible evidence about others who may have committed crimes.
Maxwell’s attorney, David Markus, told reporters that Maxwell answered questions “honestly, truthfully, to the best of her ability.”
What People Are Saying
House Speaker Mike Johnson said on NBC’s Meet the Press, when asked if he was open to a pardon or commutation for Maxwell: “If you’re asking my opinion, I think 20 years was a pittance. I think she should have a life sentence at least.
“I mean, think of all these unspeakable crimes…It’s hard to put into words how evil this was, and that she orchestrated it and was a big part of it, at least under the criminal sanction, I think is an unforgivable thing. So again, not my decision, but I have great pause about that as any reasonable person would.”
Maxwell’s lawyer, David Markus, told reporters on Friday that Maxwell has endured “terrible, awful conditions for five years.”
“We just ask that folks, look at what she has to say with an open mind, and that’s what Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has promised us, and everything she says can be corroborated, and she’s telling the truth,” Markus said.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Thursday on X: “Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time.”
What Happens Next
It’s unclear whether Trump will issue a pardon or commutation for Maxwell, but he is likely to continue facing questions about it in the coming days.
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