JUST IN: DOJ Announces Meeting With Ghislaine Maxwell — Just Weeks After Declaring ‘Bullsh*t’ Epstein Case Over
(AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche delivered what can only be described as a remarkable shift in the Department of Justice’s posture toward the long-dormant Jeffrey Epstein investigation, according to a statement released Tuesday morning.
Just over two weeks ago, the DOJ and FBI jointly issued a memo declaring that, after a “thorough review,” no new evidence had surfaced to support investigations into uncharged third parties. For many, that appeared to close the door on further legal accountability tied to Epstein’s expansive network. But just as many, if not more, cried foul, setting off a massive expression of outrage from many of Trump’s most loyal MAGA media surrogates.
But Tuesday’s statement — released by Blanche and amplified on social media by Attorney General Pam Bondi — signals a dramatic reversal in a Tuesday morning social media post.
Blanche wrote: “If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and DOJ will hear what she has to say.” He confirmed that he had already initiated contact with Maxwell’s legal team and expects to meet with her soon. The implication is clear: for the first time, federal prosecutors will entertain new testimony from Epstein’s longtime associate — something prior administrations reportedly never pursued.
Bondi wrote:
Statement from @DAGToddBlanche:
This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead. The joint statement by the DOJ and FBI of July 6 remains as accurate today as it was when it was written. Namely, that in the recent thorough review of the files maintained by the FBI in the Epstein case, no evidence was uncovered that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.
President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence. If Ghislane Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims, the FBI and the DOJ will hear what she has to say.
Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department. I anticipate meeting with Ms. Maxwell in the coming days. Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government. That changes now.
FBI Director Kash Patel quoted Bondi’s X post, adding, “Get it.”
The irony here is that Bondi, Patel, and Blanche almost certainly all signed off on the memo insisting that the Epstein case was closed. Now they are all, perhaps performatively, pursuing justice that they previously closed the book on. As The Bulwark’s Will Sommer noted on social media, “Really good bit where Blanche and Patel — both of whom signed off on the memo saying the Epstein investigation was over — are now acting like gumshoes digging up a cold case.”
Blanche’s comments emphasize that this renewed approach is directly aligned with President Donald Trump’s reactionary directive to “release all credible evidence.” The political context here is unavoidable. Bondi, a longtime Trump ally, appears to be leading an effort to reshape the Justice Department’s response to one of the most controversial and politically fraught cases in recent memory.
Whether this marks a genuine commitment to uncovering long-buried truths or a calculated political maneuver remains to be seen. But what is undeniable is that, under Bondi and Blanche, the Epstein case — once declared a closed chapter — is suddenly back in play.
