Donald Trump Reportedly Checked if Ghislaine Maxwell Mentioned Him in Ongoing Trials, Say Aides

Former President Donald Trump expressed concerns about whether Ghislaine Maxwell, the associate of Jeffrey Epstein. Trump allegedly asked his aides to know if Maxwell had disclosed any information about him to investigators following her arrest. The details emerge from New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman's latest book, Confidence Man: The Making Of Donald Trump And The Breaking Of America, per Business Insider. 

According to the book, Trump, during an Oval Office meeting in July 2020, inquired with his campaign staffers about an article in the New York magazine regarding Maxwell. The ex-president inquired directly about whether anyone had perused the article, underscoring his apparent keen interest in the legal developments related to Maxwell and her connection with Epstein.

While the names of Epstein's associates are often redacted in publicly released documents, Business Insider deduced that "Doe 174" likely refers to Trump.  According to Sjoberg, Epstein remarked, "Great, we'll call up Trump, and we'll go to — I don't recall the name of the casino, but — we'll go to the casino." This deposition further adds to the complex web of associations involving Trump, Epstein, and Maxwell. The link is discernible from photographic evidence and publicly available records that establish a connection between Trump, Epstein, and Maxwell. Furthermore, Johanna Sjoberg's deposition, as detailed in the book, references Trump about a conversation she overheard during a flight on Epstein's jet.

The revelation takes on added significance as it occurred in July 2020 while Trump was still in office. During that period, the former president allegedly inquired about whether Maxwell had discussed him in the wake of reports linking her to him. Notably, Maxwell faced charges of grooming underage girls for sex with Epstein, and Steve Hoffenberg, Epstein's former associate, suggested that she might reveal "big names" to protect herself.

In response to Maxwell's arrest, Trump publicly expressed well-wishes, a sentiment that seemed to resonate with Maxwell. She acknowledged, "He dared, while others didn't. I was very touched that he would remember me and that he would wish me well. ... I appreciate it. It gave me a big boost during that time."

Despite Maxwell's gratitude for Trump's well-wishes, questions linger about the former president's association with such a controversial figure. In a specific inquiry, the former president asked whether anyone had read the article, indicating his evident interest in the legal proceedings concerning Maxwell and her ties to Epstein.

Epstein, a financier and convicted sex offender, died in his jail cell on August 10, 2019, in what was officially ruled as a suicide by hanging. Epstein was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges involving underage girls. His death fueled numerous conspiracy theories due to the circumstances surrounding it, as he was a high-profile individual with connections to influential figures.