Ghislaine Maxwell seen carrying mystery box into prison after secret meeting with Trump's DOJ
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche flew down to Florida to meet in person with the convicted child sex trafficking offender as the MAGA base demands answers on her knowledge of Epstein's crimes.
Maxwell's attorney David Markus revealed that she answered every question asked of her during the marathon interview that lasted all day.
She apparently also brought some personal effects, as she was spotted returning to prison in Tallahassee, Florida with a box of materials as she re-entered prison.
Maxwell, wearing a brown shirt and khaki pants, is allowed to take the box with her back inside by security, in footage obtained by WCTV.
The footage came out as Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced he would question Maxwell again on Friday.
'Today, I met with Ghislaine Maxwell, and I will continue my interview of her tomorrow. The Department of Justice will share additional information about what we learned at the appropriate time,' Blanche wrote on social media.
Maxwell took the 'full day and asked a lot of questions,' Markus said.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche flew down to Florida to meet in person with convicted child sex trafficking offender Maxwell (pictured) as the MAGA base demands answers on her knowledge of Epstein's crimes
'Miss Maxwell answered every single question. She never stopped. She never invoked a privilege. She never declined to answer. She answered all the questions truthfully, honestly and to the best of her ability.'
Blanche arrived at the federal courthouse around 9:00 a.m., and Maxwell's attorneys were also seen entering the building in Tallahassee.
Maxwell, 63, is currently serving a 20-year sentence at a low-security prison in Tallahassee and is the only person serving time behind bars for Jeffrey Epstein 's child sex crimes.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Tuesday that Blanche had requested an interview with Maxwell to ask Epstein's longtime girlfriend: 'What do you know?'
Blanche, Bondi's No. 2 at the Justice Department, confirmed Tuesday the sit-down would take place 'in coming days.'
It comes as Trump's DOJ remains embroiled in controversy for failing to put out the full Epstein-related files.
MAGA supporters are demanding that Trump do more to get to the bottom of the Epstein files after the president campaigned on making information related to the convicted pedophile public.
It's unclear what Maxwell can reveal that isn't already public and the closed-door meeting is fueling skepticism over the handling of the Epstein files review.
Maxwell is also on the books to testify before Congress on August 11.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) said the meeting is a way for the administration to 'secure a cover-up.'
The Connecticut senator said that Blanche is conducting a 'secret meeting' in order to strike a 'secret deal giving her potentially a pardon for providing information favorable to Trump.'
Maxwell has already made clear her intent to get her prison sentence absolved.
Her lawyers asked the Supreme Court to take up her case, arguing the socialite should have never been charged because of a plea deal Epstein struck in 2008.
'President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence,' Blanche said in a statement posted to X by Bondi. 'If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.'
Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus told CNN the team is in discussions to have her tell her side of the story.
'I can confirm that we are in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully,' Markus said. 'We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case.'
Just last week, the DOJ opposed Maxwell's request to have the Supreme Court review her case, with her lawyers claiming she should have never been charged because of a 2008 plea deal the courts struck with Epstein.
Trump tried desperately to get his base to abandon criticism of Bondi and the FBI after a memo earlier this month concluded the review found no foul play in Epstein's death.
MAGA supporters were particularly enraged that no new material was produced in the Epstein files review and that Trump's DOJ found no existence of a so-called 'client list' of high profile co-conspirators.
The president even started calling the whole ordeal the 'Epstein hoax' and claimed Democrats were to blame for stoking conspiracies in an effort to divide Republicans.
When that didn't work, Trump directed Bondi last week to request the Southern District of New York to unseal grand jury testimony in the Epstein court case.
'I've contacted her counsel,' Blanche said. 'I intend to meet with her soon. No one is above the law—and no lead is off-limits.'
Some Trump loyalists still aren't buying the latest attempt to recover from the failure that this month has caused a rift in MAGA world.
Leading the opposition to Bondi's investigation has been conservative personality Laura Loomer, who has taken to calling the AG 'Blondi.'
She said on Tuesday that the action seems like a way to 'cope' with the growing uprising within the Republican Party.
'Why wasn't this 'interview' with Ghislaine Maxwell done on day 1?' Loomer questioned on X.
'Shouldn't they have already done this?' she continued. 'Maybe there is a mix up in communication. But I just can't help but wonder whether or not this has already happened. And if not, why?'
Attorney and political commentator Ron Filipkowski said if Maxwell's statements implicate Trump, nothing will come out – but that if it exonerates the president, her sentence will be reduced.
'The truth is in the files, not from Maxwell,' Filipkowski wrote.
Blanche still insists that the July 6 joint memo from the DOJ and FBI regarding the Epstein files review 'remains accurate.'
He says that the department's recent review did not uncover any new evidence that could bring charges against others potentially involved in the crimes.
Blanche's statement on Tuesday morning acknowledges that no administration or DOJ has ever asked Maxwell to speak with them about the Epstein case.
'That changes now,' he insisted.
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Scottish Sun
22 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Locals have their say as President Donald Trump visits sleepy Scots seaside village
The area is used to hosting big shots like Robert the Bruce MAKE AYRSHIRE GREAT AGAIN Locals have their say as President Donald Trump visits sleepy Scots seaside village THE sleepy seaside village of Maidens looked to be completely unaffected by the Presidential hullabaloo happening just along the coast — until two excited MAGA hat-wearing fans turned up. This was not a pair of US Trump supporters either as brother and sister Ben, 16, and Alicia Skilling, 15, had only travelled 30 miles from their home in Kilmarnock to try and catch a glimpse of their idol. 5 Brother and sister Ben, 16, and Alicia Skilling, 15, travelled 30 miles to try and catch a glimpse of Trump Credit: John Kirkby 5 Dave Carter, 86, reckons the US President has been a breath of fresh air for the area Credit: John Kirkby 5 Angela Bryce dreams of having an 'appointment' with the President one day Credit: John Kirkby Ben said: 'I would describe myself as a Trump fan for sure. I'm just back from Florida and wore my MAGA hat all the time. 'In Disney everyone kept saying to me 'nice hat'. I get a lot more stick over here for wearing it than I ever got in America.' However, sister Alicia is a less vocal Trump advocate, stretching only as far to say she thinks the US President is 'alright'. So why is she wearing a MAGA hat then? She sighs: 'Because he has four of them.' Their mum, student teacher Jacqueline Malone, 44, added: 'He even bought a Turnberry hat for £45 and Trump gold cufflinks, but he lost one of them at school.' The family head off with a long lens camera, desperate to snap a picture of Donald's arrival at his golf resort in Turnberry. But they were the only sign that in a few hours' time the leader of the free world would arrive by motorcade as the people of Maidens continued life at their normal laidback pace. Hosting big shots OAPs played bowls in the local bowling club, while kids squeals heard from the swing park as folk dined out on the balcony of Ropes Bistro. Then again historically this area has been used to hosting big shots. Donald Trump touches down in Scotland In 1307, Robert the Bruce landed in Maidens after sailing from Ireland — a stone's throw from his childhood home in Turnberry — accompanied by a small army of 300 men. No doubt The Bruce would have been impressed by the 6,000-strong battalion of officers drafted from across the country to protect The Donald. Strolling along the seafront I spotted a man with a Turnberry logo on his jacket, who turned out to be a caddie at the golf course. Not wishing to be named, he told me security had been ramped up since the last time Trump was President. He explained: 'Before you just had to show your work pass to get in, but since someone took a shot at him we've now got to go through airport scanners.' Chris Saunders, 61, from the charity Adventure Carrick, was also expecting to get the third degree as he arrived to take a class of disadvantaged kids paddleboarding on the Firth of Clyde. He added: 'There are roadblocks all around Turnberry but the way I heard it on the radio I was expecting to have a real problem getting here today — I even brought my ID in case I was asked. "Sure you see the odd police van about, but I just drove in no problem at all. There aren't even any protesters. It's pretty much as normal.' What also seems to be normal for these parts is the amount of dog walkers taking their pooches for a stroll. Retired sewage plant manager Dave Carter, 86, from Warrington, who has been holidaying here for the last 30 years, reckons the US President has been a breath of fresh air for the area. He says: 'Trump has been better than some of the daytrippers you get down here when the weather is nice. 'They leave a right mess behind. Turnberry was going to wrack and ruin until he took over. Play to his the gallery Commentary by Chris Musson, Associate Editor (Politics) KEIR Starmer and John Swinney will both meet Donald Trump in the next couple of days. But a chinwag with Trump can be a dangerous thing. Like trying to calm a temperamental toddler playing with the pin of a grenade. Just ask Volodymyr Zelensky. Though it bodes well for Starmer and Swinney that the Prez was full of cheer as he arrived in his ancestral homeland. And today he was out golfing at his beloved Turnberry — the biggest and bestest course in the universe. Frankly, given his troubles back home — not least the Jeffrey Epstein row — Trump would probably take a month in a leaky caravan in Saltcoats right now. The full-on UK-US diplomacy gets underway tomorrow when Starmer and Trump hold a TV press conference — the PM's moment of maximum danger. As for Swinney, well, Trump has said the 'Scottish leader is a good man'. But for Swinney's sake, let's hope the President didn't catch up with the papers as he tucked into his Full Scottish while gazing out at Ailsa Craig. If so, he may have spotted the First Minister virtue-signalling about Gaza and cultivating anti-Trump demos. But Trump isn't here for a row. He's here for a hol, to open his new course in Menie, Aberdeenshire, 'celebrate' a trade deal, and work out how to persuade R&A golf bosses to let Turnberry host The Open. I suspect all will be fine. Swinney has said some unwise things, but everyone in the world who's not Trump seems to have had a pop at him at some point. And the £180,000 Swinney magically announced for his Aberdeenshire course will certainly help oil the wheels of diplomacy. But a warning to Swin and Starm. When in the same room as The Donald, especially on camera, do NOT play to the gallery. If he gets an inkling you're challenging his authority or upstaging him, brace for a tantrum. Never bow down to a bully, it's said. But equally you could argue Swinney should choose his battles wisely. He should forget his grandstanding suggestion that he will confront Trump over 'war and peace, justice and democracy'. Just leave it, John. Instead, write 'don't turn Gaza into a golf resort' on a Post-it and stick it on Trump's jacket as you give him a friendly back slap. Trump will find it later, by which time Swinney will be back in Perthshire in his pyjamas. And the First Minister can stick out a half-honest press release saying he raised the big issues. One more thing. Should either UK leader end up on the golf course with Trump, then compliment his swing. And if he says it was a hole in one, then it was a hole in one. 'He has spent a fortune doing it up and now there are loads of Americans visiting here again.' Locals Jack Hannah, 65, and pal George Clark, 66, were also keen to have their views on their famous neighbour made known as they walked mutts Freddie and Tommy. George says: 'I don't want to get too political, but why do people object to him coming here? 'These protesters preach democracy yet Trump was democratically elected by millions of Americans. 'He's not done them any harm and puts money in the community, and employs a lot of people. So why can't he come here and play some golf without all the moaning. It's a free country after all.' Jack adds: 'I don't want to get into politics either but why don't the Green Party go and protest in countries like India and China who are among the worst polluters in the world. I'm all for Trump — drill baby, drill.' And that was them not being political? Just then Angela Bryce accosts me in the street as she wants to talk about Trump, along with her self-published book, show off her garden, oh, and she's also a healer to boot — even though she currently has a broken neck from a motorbike accident. She laughs: 'I've got to heal myself first.' 5 Chris Saunders was expecting the third degree he arrived to take a class of disadvantaged kids paddleboarding Credit: John Kirkby 5 George Clark and Jack Hannah don't understand why folk are protesting the President's visit Credit: John Kirkby But she dreams of having an 'appointment' with the President one day as she has '103 business ideas for him that are ready to go'. Right now though she just hopes the 79-year-old can be left in peace to enjoy some golf away from all the pressures of high office. Angela, 50, says: 'He is missing out on the simple joys of being able to just have a round of golf without all this fuss. But I really think he is a god or a king or a lord or a legend or something.' She's also enthusiastic about his wife Melania, adding: 'She is so beautiful — they are a beautiful match. And I bet she doesn't moan and do his f*****g head in while he's trying to get on with the great job he's doing.' Indeed. Surely if anyone is going to be miffed at all the road closures for The Donald it would be haulage worker Alex Hamilton, 77. But he insists: 'It's only a couple of days isn't it? The guy deserves to come here and play as he saved Turnberry.' The red MAGA hat-wearing Ben returns after being knocked back by cops while trying to make their way along the coastline towards Turnberry. He says: 'They told me they had sent Sky News packing as well. We're going to try and see him landing at Prestwick instead.' His patient mum Jacqueline adds: 'Ben is really into his politics. 'He always says that Trump would make a better Prime Minister than Keir Starmer — but I think anyone would.'
The Guardian
40 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Can Democratic socialists get Zohran Mamdani across the finish line?
Was it his charisma, communication skills or his captivating short-form videos? His high-profile endorsements or his clothing style? These elements were said to have contributed to Zohran Mamdani's record-setting success in New York's June mayoral primary. But another major factor in his win may have been his ties to the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Known for its endorsement of the Vermont independent senator and socialist Bernie Sanders's run for president, as well its role in electing the New York congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the group has re-energized US left political movements in recent years, even while eliciting critique and fear from conservatives and some Democrats. In Mamdani's campaign, a stunning 60,000 volunteers knocked on 1.6m doors across New York City, home to 3.6m housing units. The effort reportedly led to conversations with a quarter of all New Yorkers who voted in the primary. Though the campaign has not yet released data showing how many of those volunteers were mobilized by NYC-DSA itself, Gustavo Gordillo, a co-chair of the chapter, says his organization turned out thousands. Though other organizations, such as the grassroots political group Drum Beats, also brought out volunteers, he said the chapter had an 'unparalleled field operation in New York City'. 'New York City DSA formed the heart of the field team,' he said. But the road ahead for Mamdani, who is a state assemblymember, may still be bumpy. Mainstream Democrats have been slow to embrace the democratic socialist, who ran on universalist material policies like a rent freeze and fast and free buses. In the past, centrists and conservatives have defeated DSA primary winners in elections that looked eminently winnable, such as India Walton in the 2021 Buffalo mayoral race. And rightwingers have already launched heavy smear campaigns against Mamdani, with polls showing the race could be tight. Fellow Democrat and former New York governor Andrew Cuomo, whom Mamdani defeated, switched to an independent party run just to stay in the game, and incumbent Eric Adams is vying to keep his seat. The Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf, a centrist, said: 'Mamdani's primary victory in the nation's cultural financial and media capital is the greatest challenge faced by traditional Democrats in more than 50 years. 'The future for the Democrats is unclear,' he said. Asked if mainstream Democrats should embrace the young socialist, he said much of the base the party needs to energize to win elections in New York and elsewhere is moving to the right, and 'will not accept' a socialist. Even so, NYC-DSA says it is ready for the battle, and if Mamdani wins, it could catapult the group from the sidelines to the center of the party. 'The opposition is in total disarray right now [and] their fragmentation is only going to be a source of weakness,' said Gordillo. 'We're ready to mount an offensive campaign that replays a lot of what succeeded in the primary with the army that we've amassed.' When formed in 1982, DSA had 6,000 members nationwide; that number grew modestly over the next 25 years. Then, in the mid-2010s, in the wake of democratic socialist Sanders's run for president – and Donald Trump's subsequent 2016 presidential victory – membership began to soar. Today, DSA boasts 80,000 members who oppose capitalism and advocate for the public ownership and democratic control of key sectors and resources such as healthcare, and the shift of power to workers from corporations. Though socialism was once a dirty word in the US, especially after crackdowns on socialists and communists in the 1950s, more than half of young Americans hold a positive view of it today, according to the rightwing Cato Institute thinktank. Though DSA factions have often sparred over the role elections and endorsements should play in the movement, the group has increasingly entered the sphere in recent years. The national group is supporting candidates in municipal elections from Ithaca, New York, to Atlanta, Georgia, with local chapters backing additional candidates in Boston's mayoral race, council runs in Richmond, California, Detroit, Michigan, and others. In Minneapolis, a DSA-backed mayoral candidate, state senator Omar Fateh won his primary this month, ; unlike Mamdani, Fateh has also won endorsement from local party officials. The New York City chapter, now home to 10,000 members, began prioritizing elections in 2017, creating an electoral working group. Since then, it has secured two New York City council seats and six New York state assembly seats, including Mamdani's, which he has held since 2020. Another 250-plus DSA-backed officials hold office nationwide, including progressive 'Squad' democrats in Congress: Rashida Tlaib and Greg Casar, and Chicago's mayor, Brandon Johnson. NYC-DSA employs a methodical volunteer model for each of its endorsed candidates. It has also been highly selective about who it chooses to support. 'You have to go speak to multiple branches of the chapter, talk to the electoral working group, go through multiple rounds of votes within DSA,' said the DSA-backed New York state senator Jabari Brisport, who represents a Brooklyn district. The robust endorsement pays off, Brisport said. 'When you're running with a DSA endorsement, you really have a whole operation of dedicated volunteers who want to advance socialism,' he said. 'They help with everything from field organizing to comms to fundraising.' For NYC-DSA, electoral campaigns are not only focused on single candidates but also on building support for their movement, said Phara Souffrant Forrest, another DSA state assemblymember from Brooklyn. 'When DSA campaigns for a candidate … we're organizing their district around shared values like housing justice, healthcare for all and workers' rights,' she said. The chapter does not use paid canvassers, though Mamdani's campaign hired roughly 50 for specialized outreach. 'Our main asset, which money can never buy, are volunteers who are passionate, who feel ownership over a campaign because the win would be personal for them,' said Sarahana Shrestha, a DSA assemblymember representing a south-eastern New York district. Her campaign brought in many voters who had otherwise 'given up on electoral politics', she said. DSA members appeared to do the same in the mayoral primary, mobilizing thousands of new voters. Some DSA endorsees – such as Ocasio-Cortez, who the group supported in her 2018 campaign – receive DSA backing upon request once they have launched their campaigns. Others, like Mamdani, are 'cadre candidates' who have strong pre-existing ties to the organization and are recruited by and from the chapter. Since joining NYC-DSA in 2017, Mamdani has been deeply involved with the organization, helping lead other electoral campaigns and working closely with the chapter on his successful 2020 assembly run. Once in office, Mamdani became an integral part of NYC-DSA's socialists in office committee, designed to facilitate chapter communications with elected socialists. Today, many of his staffers are chapter leaders. And when launching his mayoral campaign, 'he said that he would not run at all if he did not receive our endorsement,' the NYC-DSA organizer Michael Thomas Carter wrote in Drop Site News. 'While the coalition that coalesced around his campaign was much broader than NYC-DSA, in this very direct sense our organization is responsible for his mayoral run,' he wrote. This commitment to the chapter has been a throughline in Mamdani's career, said Gordillo. 'He's been really tested to learn how to exercise leadership while also being accountable to a base, because he's done that in DSA pretty often,' he said. Mamdani has championed some NYC-DSA campaigning efforts he did not pioneer, such as the successful fight for a bill to expand publicly owned renewable energy, which Gordillo helmed. But he has been a leader on other initiatives, such as the 'Not on Our Dime!' bill, which aims to pressure Israel to follow international law and on which he was the lead sponsor. (Ending US support for Israel's military is a key issue for DSA, whose national organization ended its support for Ocasio-Cortez and former New York congressman Jamaal Bowman over insufficient support for the issue.) That back-and-forth has continued through the mayoral campaign, with the chapter's political operatives also helping him make connections and shape his platform. 'He met with our Labor Working Group a lot to learn more about what were the top demands for different unions where we have a lot of member density,' said Gordillo, who is a union electrician by day. Mamdani won more votes than any other mayoral candidate in New York City primary election history. Brisport said that's a testament not only to the power of NYC-DSA's organizational skills, but also to the popularity of their political values. 'Clearly there is something in the air that is shifting, because open socialists are running for office and winning, showing that our ideas are good, workable things that people actually need,' he said. Mamdani's embrace of the democratic socialist label has been a boon for NYC-DSA, with about 4,000 members joining since he launched his mayoral campaign. It will also be a test for the chapter and for American socialism. 'Zohran ran as an open democratic socialist and the billionaire class, the most powerful forces in the world and in the city, are aligning against him,' Gordillo said. 'They will be finding every moment to amplify anything that they can say is a mistake or a failure, and because he ran in a way that was so tied to the movement, I think that any of his shortcomings will also be attributed to us.' The chapter is now preparing to mobilize volunteers around the general election, but also organizing to support Mamdani's key policies like a proposal to increase taxes on the rich. The organization is prepared to hold Mamdani accountable to socialist values, but also to communicate his successes to the public, said Gordillo. 'We will make sure that the billionaire class and corporate interests can't just fearmonger about him, or hide it when he fulfills his campaign promises,' he said. 'The fate of the left in New York rests on the success of the Mamdani administration, so ensuring that there is a successful mayoralty is going to have to become our top priority.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
FBI chief 'shocked to core' amid Epstein files scandal
By Embattled FBI deputy director Dan Bongino revealed he has discovered matters that have 'shocked me down to my core' during his time in office. Bongino shared a cryptic message to his social media in which he vowed to uncover 'the truth' amid mounting criticism of his handling of the Epstein files. He added: 'We cannot run a Republic like this. I'll never be the same after learning what I've learned. 'We are going to conduct these righteous and proper investigations by the book and in accordance with the law. We are going to get the answers WE ALL DESERVE. 'As with any investigation, I cannot predict where it will land, but I can promise you an honest and dignified effort at truth. Not 'my truth,' or 'your truth,' but THE TRUTH.' Bongino alluded in his statement to recent discoveries surrounding government corruption and weaponization. He did not provide a timeline for when the general public might learn about what he is talking about, adding that 'things are happening'. He failed to show up on one Friday after a DOJ memo was released that said Epstein had died by suicide and that no other people named in the files would be charged. It also said there was no 'Epstein client list'. The following Monday, officials were starting to squirm and feared that Bongino would be a no-show yet again, but he arrived in the office a few hours later than expected. It was reported at the time that Trump was furious that one of his hand-picked appointees would be so publicly against him. A source inside the DOJ told Daily Mail that Bongino was ready to stand down if Attorney General Pam Bondi didn't. The fallout of that memo continues, with the Wall Street Journal reporting that Bondi told Trump in May that his name appeared in the Epstein files. Bondi also allegedly acknowledged that the administration should withhold the files due to them containing images of child sexual abuse. The president associated with Epstein and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell in the 1980s and 1990s. Maxwell was questioned this week by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. She is serving 20 years behind bars for his involvement in Epstein's crimes. The 63-year-old made it clear earlier this month that she was willing to speak in front of Congress about the case. Trump has not been implicated in any crimes and just because a name appears in the files does not mean imply they were involved in Epstein's child sex trafficking. Many believe Maxwell appears to be angling for a pardon from President Donald Trump after she 'didn't hold back' during questioning. Trump refused to rule out invoking his presidential pardon powers for Maxwell saying: 'I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I haven't thought about.'
