Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads Fifth, Seeks Trump Clemency to Testify
Maxwell invoked the Fifth in a Feb. 9 closed-door deposition but her lawyer said she would testify if President Donald Trump grants clemency.
Boston GlobeGhislaine Maxwell appeals for clemency from Trump as she declines to answer questions from lawmakers
NBC NewsGhislaine Maxwell pleads the Fifth but says she'd 'speak fully and honestly' if Trump grants her clemency
Washington ExaminerGhislaine Maxwell dangles Trump and Clinton carrot in bid for clemency
Epoch TimesGhislaine Maxwell Pleads the Fifth in Deposition With Lawmakers
Overview
Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth and refused to answer questions in a closed-door House Oversight Committee deposition on Feb. 9, 2026, and David Oscar Markus said she would speak if President Donald Trump granted clemency.
The deposition was part of the House Oversight Committee's probe into how Jeffrey Epstein was able to sexually abuse underage girls, a committee statement said.
House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., called Maxwell's refusal "very disappointing" and said she should not be granted immunity or clemency, he told reporters.
Court records show Ghislaine Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of federal sex-trafficking charges and is serving a 20-year prison sentence at Federal Prison Camp Bryan, a minimum-security facility in Bryan, Texas.
Chairman James Comer said the committee will press ahead with five additional depositions, including Leslie Wexner on Feb. 18, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Feb. 26 and former President Bill Clinton on Feb. 27.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Maxwell’s Fifth as evasive by emphasizing clemency overtures, lawmakers’ outrage, and survivors’ condemnation while still reporting defense’s habeas petition and proffer statements. Editorial choices — selective quote placement, repetition of transfer and pardon details — steer readers toward suspicion even as quoted source content provides counterpoints.
FAQ
Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment to avoid self-incrimination due to her pending legal petition in federal court seeking to overturn or reduce her conviction, as stated by her lawyer David Oscar Markus.
Her lawyer David Oscar Markus stated that Maxwell would testify if granted clemency by President Donald Trump, which would allow her to speak freely without invoking her Fifth Amendment rights.
The committee is probing how Jeffrey Epstein was able to sexually abuse underage girls and his ties to powerful figures in politics, business, and entertainment.
Chairman James Comer called Maxwell's invocation of the Fifth Amendment 'very disappointing' and stated she should not be granted immunity or clemency.
Upcoming depositions include Leslie Wexner on Feb. 18, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Feb. 26, and former President Bill Clinton on Feb. 27.
