Though many people believe that President Donald Trump is trying to avoid talking about the “Epstein files,” that hasn’t stopped the public from demanding that more information be released. Over the past several months, Trump’s connections to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have come under scrutiny amid concerns about how the Trump administration has handled the Epstein files. It’s a topic that people continue to talk about frequently, but Trump recently suggested that he hasn’t heard about it in a while.
A reporter recently asked Trump about Maxwell.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. She was found guilty of “helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse” children, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In April, Maxwell filed an appeal against her sex-trafficking conviction, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected it on Monday, October 6. After the appeal was denied, a reporter asked Trump about it. He acted like he didn’t really know what the reporter was talking about.
He claimed that he didn’t know the Supreme Court rejected the appeal.
When CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins asked Trump about a potential pardon for Maxwell, he said, “You know, I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this: I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look. Did they reject [the appeal?]”
The reporter then informed the president about what happened. He continued with, “I’d say, well, I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ… I didn’t know they rejected it, I didn’t know she was even asking for it, frankly.”
People criticized Trump’s response.
COLLINS: Pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell — is that something you're open to doing?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 6, 2025
TRUMP: Who are we talking about?
COLLINS: Ghislaine Maxwell
TRUMP: I haven't heard the name is so long. I can say this — I'd have to take a look at it … I will speak to the DOJ
COLLINS: She's… pic.twitter.com/CnQ6XrezQY
On social media, many were appalled that Trump even suggested he would consider pardoning Maxwell. “It’s a huge tell that Donald Trump can’t just say ‘no’ to pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell — a convicted child sex trafficker,” one X user pointed out. “This isn’t a hard question. It’s the easiest ‘no’ any decent person could give. The hesitation says everything. Something’s definitely up.”
Another critic wrote, “Ask yourself why Trump would consider ‘speaking to the DOJ’ about giving Ghislaine Maxwell a pardon. The fact that he even gives pause should chill you to the bone!”
Trump said he couldn’t remember who Ghislaine Maxwell was and I’m over here going pic.twitter.com/QKhzwkL9Sg
— Kelly D 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇨🇦🇬🇱 (@KellDA) October 6, 2025
Others had doubts about his claim that he hasn’t “heard the name in so long.” One person pointed out that the topic “has been discussed extensively for months,” which is why several people called him a “liar” and accused him of “gaslighting” and “putting on quite the act.”
In July, the DOJ interviewed Maxwell.
Amid all of the controversy surrounding Trump’s ties to Epstein, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke to Maxwell, who claimed that she never saw Trump “in any inappropriate setting.” At the same time, she also denied helping Epstein recruit and abuse young girls and said she “never, ever saw any man doing something inappropriate with a woman of any age,” per Politico.
That same month, when a reporter asked Trump if he would consider pardoning Maxwell, he said he’s “allowed” to pardon her.
