Trump Won’t Rule Out Ghislaine Maxwell Pardon: ‘But She Was Convicted of Child Sex Trafficking’

President Donald Trump was asked in the Oval Office on Monday if he would consider pardoning convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, after the Supreme Court said it would not hear her appeal.

CNN’s Kaitlin Collins asked Trump, “The Supreme Court is back, and they rejected today an appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell to overturn her conviction. That means her only chance of getting out of prison is a pardon. Is that something you’re—”

Trump interjected, “Who are we talking about?”

Collins clarified she was talking about Jeffrey Epstein’s accomplice, replying, “Ghislaine Maxwell.”

“You know, I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look. Did they reject that?” Trump asked.

Collins replied, “She wanted to appeal her conviction, and they said that they were not going to hear her appeal.”

Trump replied, “I see. Well, I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to— I will speak to the DOJ. I wouldn’t consider it, or not consider it. I don’t know anything about it. So, but I’ll see. I will speak to the DOJ.”

Another, off-camera reporter then pressed, “Why would she be a candidate for clemency?”

Trump hit back, “I don’t know. I may not have to speak to the DOJ. I’ll look at it. I have a lot of people have asked me for pardons. I call them— Puff Daddy has asked me for a pardon.”

“But she was convicted of child sex trafficking,” Collins replied.

Trump added, “Yeah, I mean, I’m going to have to take a look at it. I have to ask DOJ. I didn’t know they rejected it. I didn’t know she was even asking for it, frankly.”

Watch the clip above via C-SPAN.

Editor’s note: This article was updated to reflect that another reporter joined in the questioning with Collins.