I don’t think so. You decide after you’ve heard the clip below, taken from the Oval Office. I honestly think that Donald Trump has spaced Ghislaine Maxwell out because that’s basically his MO, out of sight, out of mind. And never forget, Trump is very different from all previous presidents in one area: all the rest used to take it upon themselves to brief (well, maybe not Dubya) and up on whatever the major issues of the day were, so that they could be prepared for any questions coming their way. That’s not Trump’s style. His style is to schedule a photo op and then blather for a while in front of the rolling cameras and then go back out and play golf.
Collins: The supreme court rejected the appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell to overturn her conviction.Â
Trump: Who are we talking about?
Collins: Ghislaine Maxwell
Trump: Haven't heard the name in so long. I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ. A lot of people have asked me… pic.twitter.com/bX0B2F8e1O
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 6, 2025
I think the bewilderment is genuine. Trump told himself, on some level, “Mike will handle this,” and Mike Johnson has been handling the Epstein files by refusing to swear in the newly elected Representative from Arizona, who could provide the much needed 218th vote. So Trump shelved the Epstein/Maxwell issue.
However, that doesn’t mean that the rest of the world has shelved it. Au contraire. So Trump needs to get back up to speed. And will he pardon Maxwell?
He’s not joking when he says, “I’ll have to speak to the DOJ.” He’ll need for Pam Bondi, or somebody, to tell him how he could get away with doing it or not doing it. If he pardoned Maxwell, it would be explosive, to say the least. But if she sang the right tune, of how utterly blameless and pure Trump is and was, then it might be a good tradeoff. It’s one he would most likely go for, I feel.
Trump also has been asked about pardoning Sean Combs. That’s not a situation with a built in advantage for Trump. And if I was George Santos, I would get ready to continue rotting in prison for a while. Santos is not a priority these days.
I would give 60% to 40% odds that Trump will pardon Maxwell. He believes he’s bullet proof in this day and age. And it’s his last days of office that worry me. I can fully foresee a situation where a senile Trump decides to empty out the prisons entirely. Sound paranoid? Sure. But just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean that Trump isn’t out to get you, me, everybody — and the Democratic party. Think of what a mess a new Democratic president would face if s/he had to worry about millions of felons suddenly loose in America.
Trump is a completely dystopian figure and he inspires these apocalyptic imaginings. And it isn’t as if he did not pardon all the January 6 felons. He did. So there is precedent.
I have no doubt that on the way out the door Trump will pardon her. However as I wrote earlier today a question we should be thinking about is how long Maxwell is willing to wait? In her minimum security comfort she has access to much of the same news you and I get. She can see for herself how much the slimy asshole she once partitied and did business with has devolved both mentally and physically. I keep saying Trump is a heart attack or stroke waiting to happen. Clearly his health is declining and with each passing month it’s more apparent. IF Trump were to up and die I really don’t see Vance pardoning her. If she feels the same? Then all bets are off.
“Playing” dumb? That’s genuine stupidity in its purest form.
As for emptying the prisons, that would hurt the companies that profit off of them, and they are campaign donors.
Diddy needs to break out his check book.