Ghislaine Maxwell, a close associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has stated that if she were granted a pardon by Donald Trump, she would be willing to testify that neither Trump nor former President Bill Clinton engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

On February 9, the U.S. House Oversight Committee held a virtual hearing with Maxwell from a federal prison in Texas, where she is currently serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking.

Her statement immediately sparked strong backlash from lawmakers.

Democrats accused Maxwell of openly lobbying for a presidential pardon from Trump.

Several Republican lawmakers also reacted sharply, with Representative Anna Paulina Luna demanding that Maxwell either fully cooperate with investigators or face further consequences. The White House reiterated previous statements that President Trump is not currently considering granting Maxwell a pardon.

The family of Virginia Giuffre, one of the most outspoken victims in the Epstein case, also released a letter they had sent to Maxwell. They said they do not view her as a bystander in Epstein’s crimes, but rather as a central figure who helped identify, recruit, and groom underage victims.

Maxwell was Epstein’s former girlfriend and closest collaborator. Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted pedophile, died in jail in 2019.

As the Epstein files continue to send shockwaves worldwide, U.S. lawmakers are investigating individuals who may have been connected to or enabled Epstein’s crimes.

Disclosures show that both President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton had interactions with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s, though neither has been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

According to the Associated Press, Maxwell repeatedly refused to answer lawmakers’ questions during the public hearing, invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

However, during a closed-door session, Maxwell’s attorney David Oscar Markus said she is “fully prepared to speak truthfully and completely if granted a pardon by President Donald Trump.”

Markus emphasized that both Trump and Clinton are “innocent,” adding that only Maxwell can explain why—and that the public deserves to hear that explanation.