Trump says he knows nothing about DOJ plans to interview Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-girlfriend Maxwell

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(22 Jul 2025) POOL Washington, DC - 22 July 2025 1. Wide, U.S. President Donald Trump in Oval Office, pan to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. 2. UPSOUND (English) Reporter asking question: "Mr. President, do you support the Justice Department seeking a new interview with Ghislaine Maxwell and did you urge the Attorney General to seek one?" 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President: "I don't know anything about it. They're gonna what? Meet her?" 4. UPSOUND (English) Reporter asking question: "They are going to ... your deputy Attorney General has reached out to Ghislaine Maxwell's attorney asking for a new interview?" 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President: "Yeah, I don't know about it, but I think it's something that would be sounds appropriate to do yeah." 6. UPSOUND (English) Reporter asking question: "Do you have any concern that your deputy Attorney General is your former attorney who would be conducting the interview given ..." 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Donald Trump, U.S. President: "No, I have no concern. He's a very talented person. He's very smart. I didn't know that they were going to do it. I don't really follow that too much. It's sort of a witch hunt. The witch hunt that you should be talking about is they caught President Obama absolutely cold, Tulsi Gabbard. What they did to this country in 2016, starting in 2016 but going all the way up to, going up to the 2020 election. They tried to rig the election and they got caught and there should be severe consequences for that." 8. Cutaway reporters and White House officials listening STORYLINE: President Donald Trump said it’s “appropriate” for the Justice Department to seek a new interview with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein who was convicted of helping the financier sexually abuse underage girls. Asked Tuesday about Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche’s announcement that the department reached out to Maxwell’s lawyers for an interview, Trump said he didn’t know about it “but that would be, sounds appropriate to do.” Added Trump, who has faced a political crisis over records related to Epstein’s sex trafficking investigation: “I don't really follow that too much. It's sort of a witch hunt.” Maxwell's lawyer confirmed Tuesday there were discussions with the government and says Maxwell will always testify truthfully. The overture to attorneys for Maxwell is part of a Justice Department effort to cast itself as transparent following fierce backlash from parts of Trump’s base over an earlier refusal to release additional records in the Epstein investigation. Blanche says the Republican president has told the department "to release all credible evidence.” Trump then deflected questions about Epstein and instead lashed out at old grievances following a new report from his intelligence director aimed at casting doubt on long-established findings about Moscow's interference in the 2016 election. Trump is under pressure from conspiracy-minded segments of his political base to release more about the Epstein case. He’s tried to move on, which Democrats say is because of his association with Epstein. Trump has denied knowledge or involvement of Epstein’s crimes and said he ended their friendship years ago. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives ​​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/d344b820cac74c67b1fb665015e25287