- Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during a House Oversight Committee deposition, refusing to answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein's crimes.
- Her lawyer stated she would testify fully and could exonerate both President Trump and former President Bill Clinton if granted clemency by President Trump.
- Partisan divides emerged, with Republicans pursuing Epstein ties and Democrats accusing Maxwell of leveraging silence to secure a pardon.
Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking related to Jeffrey Epstein, invoked her Fifth Amendment rights during a virtual House Oversight Committee deposition on February 9, 2026, refusing to answer questions about Epstein's crimes and co-conspirators. Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, stated she would testify fully—and claims she could exonerate both President Trump and former President Bill Clinton of wrongdoing—if granted clemency by President Trump.
The deposition followed the Justice Department's release of millions of Epstein-related documents, with no new prosecutions expected, though some figures faced scandals. Chairman James Comer called her refusal "disappointing" but opposed clemency, while Democrats like Rep. Suhas Subramanyam labeled her "unrepentant" and a "monster" using the event to campaign for a pardon. Maxwell's team cited ongoing legal proceedings, including a writ of habeas corpus, as complicating testimony. Trump has not ruled out clemency.
Partisan divides emerged, with Republicans pursuing Epstein ties (including to Clintons) and Democrats accusing Maxwell of leveraging silence to secure a Trump pardon while offering to absolve both Trump and Clinton. Rep. Biggs was accused of relaying her messages to Trump. Victims' advocates and Democrats demand she remain imprisoned and answer questions without incentives; public debate focuses on accountability for Epstein associates and potential elite cover-ups. Stakeholders include Epstein survivors seeking justice and political figures facing scrutiny.
Maxwell, Epstein's accomplice, was convicted in 2021 for procuring underage girls for him, who died in jail in 2019; she is the only one convicted in the scandal involving high-profile names across politics and business. This echoes prior Epstein document releases sparking resignations. Short-term, Congress may pursue contempt or review unredacted DOJ files; long-term, a Trump pardon could enable testimony but risks politicizing justice and undermining her conviction. Experts note her strategy aims at bipartisan appeal, but appeals are exhausted. Ongoing Epstein file reviews by Congress; parallel scrutiny of Clinton and Trump ties; no similar recent clemency offers in high-profile sex trafficking cases.