President Donald Trump is continuing to wish alleged Jeffrey Epstein co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell well, despite the crimes she is accused of and the backlash his first extension of well wishes garnered. The president doubled down on his remarks when speaking with Axios‘ Jonathan Swan in an interview that aired Monday night on HBO, during which he expressed sympathy for Maxwell.
Trump tells #AxiosOnHBO that he stands by his comments wishing alleged child sex trafficker and Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell well.
“I wish her well. I’d wish you well. I’d wish a lot of people well.” pic.twitter.com/1MRxyqzCLk
— Axios (@axios) August 4, 2020
Asked why he would offer warm wishes to Maxwell, Trump, who said that he was unaware of the exact charges Maxwell faces, said, “her friend or boyfriend was either killed or committed suicide in jail,” referring to Epstein, who was found dead in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York City in August 2019. The president went on to add, “She’s now in jail, so yeah, I wish her well.” The president claimed that he would wish Swan well if he were in her position, stating, “I would wish a lot of people well. Good luck. Let them prove somebody was guilty.”
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“Her boyfriend died in jail, and people are still trying to figure out how did it happen. Was it suicide, was he killed?” Trump later added. “I’m not looking for anything bad for her. I’m not looking bad for anybody.”
His remarks came just two weeks after he expressed similar sentiments during a July news conference. Speaking with reporters at the White House, the president had sparked controversy after he said, “I’ve met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach, and I guess they lived in Palm Beach.” He went on to add, “But I wish her well, whatever it is.”
Maxwell, a former confidant and ex-girlfriend of Epstein, was arrested on July 2 by the FBI in New Hampshire. She is currently facing multiple charges, including enticement and conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, transportation and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of perjury. She has denied any wrongdoing and has been denied bail. It is believed that Maxwell knows information that could bring down a number of powerful people. Maxwell is currently in a federal jail in Brooklyn.
