Maggie Haberman Calls Out Trump for Conspicuous Dodge on Epstein Accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell

CNN commentator and New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman called out President Donald Trump for conspicuously avoiding one big question about Ghislaine Maxwell under grilling from Kaitlan Collins.

Amid chatter about pardoning Maxwell and suspicion surrounding her meetings with Trump lawyer and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, Maxwell was transferred to a minimum security women’s prison in Texas last week.

Collins confronted Trump about the transfer during a signing ceremony at the White House, and repeatedly asked him about her “credibility” as a witness.

On Tuesday’s edition of CNN’s The Lead, Haberman and host Jake Tapper noted the “dodge” on Maxwell’s credibility.

Haberman called the moment “very noticeable,” and Tapper observed that Trump doesn’t seem to have ever said “one negative thing about her”:

TAPPER: And what did you make of his answers to Kaitlan earlier today saying he didn’t know that Ghislaine Maxwell had been transferred to a minimum security prison suspiciously right after talking to Todd Blanche? And also he kind of dodged the question on whether or not she was credible.

HABERMAN: I mean, look, it’s certainly possible that he didn’t know. I don’t think it’s likely considering how closely the White House and the DOJ are working in this administration. And, again, there’s no law barring that, but it has not been the post-Watergate norm. And so it would surprise me if he didn’t know. It’s certainly possible.

In terms of the credibility question, it was very noticeable that he didn’t answer that question because that is the heart of what is an issue with Ghislaine Maxwell, which is why Jeffrey Epstein’s victims are so upset about what is happening. She was charged with perjury. And, you know, there are a number of people in the previous Trump administration who do not view her in a positive light.

And so I’m sure the president will try not to answer that question for as long as he can. We’ll see how long he can do that.

TAPPER: And just his record when it comes to talking about Ghislaine Maxwell, he wished her well after she was captured. She’s a convicted sex trafficker of children. He has had harsher words about Rosie O’Donnell. He’s never — I haven’t heard him say one negative thing about her.

Watch above via CNN’s The Lead.