Donald Trump Supposedly Asked His Aides About Ghislaine Maxwell
As more and more documents related to Jeffrey Epstein are brought to light, conversations are also turning to Ghislaine Maxwell. It's no secret that former President Donald J. Trump spent some time with both Epstein and Ghislaine, either, since it's been well documented in the press. Although many names of Epstein associates have been redacted in the lists being made public, Business Insider determined that "Doe 174" is most likely Trump. Given the photos alone, Trump's connection to both of them is clear.
US District Judge Loretta Preska's identifiers for "Doe 174" reveal that this individual is already widely known in the media for their association with Epstein and Maxwell, and their name surfaced during Maxwell's public criminal trial. Furthermore, according to Business Insider, Johanna Sjoberg named Trump in her deposition, indicating that while she was flying in a jet with Epstein, she overheard a conversation: "Jeffrey said, Great, we'll call up Trump, and we'll go to — I don't recall the name of the casino, but — we'll go to the casino."
After an article surfaced online, Trump allegedly asked about Maxwell — even at the risk of raising eyebrows.
Trump asked if Maxwell talked about him
While still in office, in July of 2020, former President Donald J. Trump allegedly asked his office aids if Ghislaine Maxwell had asked about him, which the Daily Mail reported that Maggie Haberman wrote in her new book, "Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America."
Haberman wrote that Trump, while in the Oval Office, allegedly asked, "You see that article in the [New York Post] today that mentioned me?" Those in the room reportedly remained silent, to which Trump continued, adding, "She say anything about me?" This set of questions came just months after Trump wished Maxwell well after her arrest during a White House news conference. During the presser, he also mentioned that he had seen Maxwell several times, particularly when he and both Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein lived in Palm Beach.
The Daily Mail asserted that this question likely stemmed from Trump's anxieties about being implicated in any further investigations or trials due to his connection with Maxwell and Epstein. That's because the aforementioned New York Post article had quoted Steven Hoffenberg — a former business associate of Epstein — suggesting Maxwell would be naming associates and friends of hers and Epstein's.
Maxwell was grateful for Trump's support
In 2022, Ghislaine Maxwell gave a rare interview to the Daily Mail. During her chat with the outlet, she mentioned some people from her past who had buoyed her since her arrest in July 2020. One person in particular she mentioned was former President Donald J. Trump.
After her arrest, Trump publicly wished her well. That sentiment evidently meant something to Maxwell. "He dared, while others didn't," she told the outlet. "I was very touched that he would remember me and that he would wish me well. ... I appreciate it. It gave me a big boost during that time." While Maxwell valued the good wishes from Trump, that didn't absolve Trump from needing to further clarify why he would give such sentiments to such a controversial figure.
When asked on "Axios with HBO" about his comments, Trump became defensive at the question. He pushed back that he would wish anyone well and that the courts have to prove the guilty parties. Further, he associated the well wishes with Epstein's suspicious death while in prison. "Her boyfriend died in jail, and people are still trying to figure out, 'How did it happen?' Was it suicide? Was he killed? And I do wish her well. I'm not looking for anything bad for her."