<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell is the Trump administration's first big move to allay concerns about its </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-in-jeffrey-epstein-files-pam-bondi-told-him-reports-usa-politics/38dae500-44be-4daf-9e87-359b1a35d814" rel="" target="" title="hugely unpopular handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files"><span>hugely unpopular handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files</span></a><span>. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday wrapped up two days of interviews with Epstein's convicted associate.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But there were already all kinds of reasons to be skeptical of this move and what it could produce, given the motivations of the two sides involved.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>And President Donald Trump epitomised all of them in a major way on Friday.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-in-jeffrey-epstein-files-pam-bondi-told-him-reports-usa-politics/38dae500-44be-4daf-9e87-359b1a35d814" rel="" target="" title="Donald Trump told his name was in Epstein files: reports"><strong><span>Donald Trump told his name was in Epstein files: reports</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While taking questions on his way to Scotland, Trump repeatedly held open the possibility of pardoning Maxwell for her crimes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Well, I don't want to talk about that," Trump said initially.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>When pressed, he said, "It's something I haven't thought about," while conspicuously adding, "I'm allowed to do it."</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/ghislaine-maxwell-donald-trump-pardon-interview-jeffrey-epstein-case/f231d5c3-8f68-4423-9f64-c32650ccdf03" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>This wouldn't be the first time Trump has appeared to dangle a pardon over someone providing evidence that could impact him personally and politically. (In this case, he has demonstrated past personal ties to Epstein, and his administration is scrambling to clean up its botched handling of the Epstein files after previously promising to release them.)</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A similar situation played out during the Russia investigation, when Trump repeatedly left open the possibility of pardoning key witnesses like Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn and Michael Cohen. Critics alleged this amounted to obstruction of justice.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Special counsel Robert Mueller's report didn't draw conclusions on possible obstruction, but it did cite Trump's pardon comments as "evidence" that Trump's actions "had the potential to influence Manafort's decision whether to cooperate with the government."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Manafort indeed wound up being a decidedly uncooperative witness, with a bipartisan Senate report saying his repeated lies hamstrung its own investigation. And Trump later pardoned him in a move that could certainly be understood as a reward for his lack of cooperation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-new-photos-emerge-wedding-pictures-usa-news/f87d5fe1-8c1d-495f-b917-ee4d89fe4e9b" target="" title="Newly found photos shed fresh light on Trump's ties to Epstein"><strong><span>Newly found photos shed fresh light on Trump's ties to Epstein</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That bit of history looms large here, given the parallels.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But Trump is really just exacerbating an already dubious situation. There were already plenty of reasons to be skeptical of this move to interview Maxwell, and nobody involved seems particularly bothered to address those problems or even combat the perception of them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The first reason is the state of play in Maxwell's criminal case.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It might seem far-fetched that Trump would ever pardon a convicted child sex-trafficker like Maxwell (even though he did "wish her well" after she was charged). But there are other things his administration could do to help her. Among them would be taking actions in her ongoing appeal of her 2021 conviction.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Trump Justice Department has already taken highly suspect actions in another criminal case involving someone Trump wanted something politically from: New York Mayor Eric Adams. The administration earlier this year moved to dismiss the charges against Adams while suggestively citing its desire for the New York Democrat to assist in its crackdown on illegal immigration.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Multiple prosecutors resigned in protest, with one claiming it was a "quid pro quo" in her resignation letter. And the judge in the case appeared to sympathise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Everything here smacks of a bargain: Dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions," the judge said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Maxwell's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, has also been remarkably solicitous of Trump and the administration.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-friendship-wall-street-journal-birthday-card-message-usa-news/57c8d6c9-e06e-4969-a798-d4135cb9da82" target="" title="Trump denies Jeffrey Epstein birthday message"><strong><span>Trump denies Jeffrey Epstein birthday message</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Last week he called Trump the "ultimate dealmaker" while claiming that the Justice Department had violated a deal with Maxwell. This week, he praised the Trump administration's "commitment to uncovering the truth in this case" and said he and Maxwell were "grateful that the government is trying to uncover the truth."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Markus on Friday also suggested an openness to a pardon.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The president this morning said he had the power to do so," Markus said, "and we hope he exercises that power in a right and just way."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Indeed, also relevant here are the lawyers involved.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Critics have cried foul that the DOJ official interviewing Maxwell was Blanche, rather than a non-political prosecutor who has been involved in the case who would have much more expertise. Not only is Blanche a top political appointee of Trump's; he's also his formal personal lawyer.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The conflict of interest is glaring," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Thursday on X. "It stinks of high corruption."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>What's more, Blanche appeared on a podcast last year with Markus and labeled him a "friend."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"You are by far the best out there," Blanche said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-update-jeffrey-esptein-documents-pressure-leads-trump-to-call-past-supporters-weaklings/f61951f4-db75-42e4-8edd-653d777bd11a" target="" title="Trump lashes out at 'weaklings' who believe Epstein 'hoax'"><strong><span>Trump lashes out at 'weaklings' who believe Epstein 'hoax'</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But one of the biggest reasons to be skeptical is that Maxwell is someone the Trump Justice Department -- the first one, at least -- labeled a brazen liar.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Back in 2020, the DOJ charged Maxwell with two counts of perjury -- on top of the more serious charges she faced -- while citing a 2016 civil deposition she gave.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the deposition, Maxwell claimed no knowledge of Epstein's "scheme to recruit underage girls for sexual massages," despite later being convicted of helping in the effort. She also claimed she didn't know about Epstein possessing sex toys, which was contradicted by witnesses at her trial.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Maxwell's lawyers at the time said "the questions asked were confusing, ambiguous, and improperly formed."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She was never actually tried for perjury. After her conviction on the more serious charges, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the perjury charges if her conviction stood, citing a desire to avoid further emotional trauma for the victims.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But the Trump Justice Department in 2020 still called her credibility into question.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In a 2020 filing, it said Maxwell's lies "should give the Court serious pause" about trusting her. It also said Maxwell's "willingness to brazenly lie under oath about her conduct ... strongly suggests her true motive has been and remains to avoid being held accountable for her crimes."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>All of that would seem relevant to today, especially given Trump's demonstrated willingness to wield his power to help people who help him -- whether using pardons or anything else. Maxwell, who has years left in her 20-year prison sentence, clearly has motivation to say things Trump wants.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That doesn't mean the interviews of Maxwell couldn't glean something important. Even witnesses with credibility problems can provide important information, if it's corroborated with other evidence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But right now, Trump and Co. aren't trying very hard to make this situation look kosher. And Trump's pardon comments take that to another level.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/south-park-season-27-donald-trump-depicted-in-bed-with-satan-as-trey-parker-and-matt-stone-slam-us-president/a3750b25-f989-4c1e-b54a-5b12d7b892d1" rel="" target="" title="South Park slams Donald Trump in fiery return"><strong><span>South Park slams Donald Trump in fiery return</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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