As speculation mounts regarding a potential presidential pardon for convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent and vocal victims, has issued a searing public plea to President Donald Trump, urging him to reject any consideration of clemency for Maxwell. Their emotional statement condemns such a move as “one of the highest travesties of justice” and underscores the profound pain still felt by the survivors of Epstein and Maxwell’s heinous crimes.
The unprecedented plea comes amidst renewed scrutiny of the Epstein case, fueled by recent developments including Maxwell’s attorneys hinting at a possible pardon in exchange for testimony and the Justice Department’s Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche meeting with Maxwell in prison. President Trump, when asked last week about pardoning Maxwell, had stated he hadn’t considered it but acknowledged he was “allowed to do it.”
However, a comment from President Trump this week appears to have intensified the Giuffre family’s concerns. Speaking to reporters, Trump reportedly stated that Epstein had “stolen” Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago resort, where she worked at age 16. The Giuffre family called this remark “shocking” and questioned whether Trump had knowledge of Epstein and Maxwell’s actions.
“It makes us ask if he was aware of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal actions, especially given his statement two years later that his good friend Jeffrey ‘likes women on the younger side…no doubt about it,'” the family said in a statement released Wednesday, obtained by NBC News. “We and the public are asking for answers; survivors deserve this.”
Virginia Giuffre, who tragically died by suicide earlier this year, had been a tireless advocate for herself and other survivors, bravely coming forward with her allegations against Epstein, Maxwell, and other powerful individuals. Her family’s statement emphasizes Maxwell’s direct role in Giuffre’s abuse. “Ghislaine Maxwell specifically targeted and preyed on our sister Virginia while she worked at Mar-a-Lago in 2000 — several years before Epstein and President Trump had their falling out,” the family asserted.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2021 for her role in recruiting and trafficking minors for sex on behalf of Jeffrey Epstein. Her attorneys have recently indicated that she would be “willing and eager” to testify openly and honestly before Congress if she were to receive clemency. This offer has fueled speculation that a deal could be in the works, prompting immediate backlash from victims’ advocates and lawmakers.
The Giuffre family’s statement unequivocally rejects any leniency for Maxwell. “The government and the president should never consider giving Ghislaine Maxwell any leniency,” they stressed. “Ghislaine Maxwell is a monster who deserves to rot in prison for the rest of her life for the extraordinary violence and abuse she put not just our sister Virginia through, but many other survivors, who may number in the thousands.”
The White House and the Justice Department have not immediately responded to the Giuffre family’s powerful statement. However, the House Oversight Committee, which had subpoenaed Maxwell to testify, has already rejected her demand for immunity, stating it would “not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony.”
As the legal battles continue – with Maxwell appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court – the public and political pressure on the Trump administration regarding the Epstein-Maxwell saga shows no signs of abating. The Giuffre family’s poignant plea serves as a potent reminder of the victims at the heart of this dark chapter and a direct challenge to any attempt to diminish the gravity of Maxwell’s crimes.