US president Donald Trump on Friday deflected questions about pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, saying he hasn’t thought about it. Instead, he turned the spotlight towards other high-profile names once linked to Epstein. “You ought to be talking about Bill Clinton! He went to the island 28 times. I never went to the island. I don’t even know what they’re talking about,” Trump told reporters before flying to Scotland.He added, “Focus on the former president of Harvard, some of the hedge fund guys. I’ll give you a list. These guys lived with Jeffrey.” Trump’s remarks came as deputy attorney general Todd Blanche was questioning Maxwell for the second day. The justice department is trying to move past three weeks of headlines sparked by attorney general Pam Bondi’s public hints about an alleged Epstein client list. Bondi had earlier suggested she had access to explosive information, but later walked back, stating no such list exists and reaffirming that Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019. Trump, who once had ties with Epstein before a reported falling out in 2004, has found it difficult to convince Republicans and his base to drop the matter. The White House is facing growing pressure as public curiosity around Epstein’s powerful social circle refuses to fade.
