Last Updated on July 19, 2025 by ThePublic
In July 2020, when Ghislaine Maxwell was arrested for her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s horrific child sex trafficking ring, the world waited for leaders to condemn her actions unequivocally. Yet, former President Donald Trump, a man known for his brash and often vicious rhetoric, chose a different path. Instead of outrage or sympathy for the victims, Trump offered Maxwell, a woman accused of grooming and trafficking underage girls for sexual abuse, his well wishes. His comments, verified by multiple sources, including White House press briefings and interviews, are not just a bizarre misstep, they are a chilling revelation of potential complicity, misplaced loyalty, and a troubling disregard for the victims of one of the most heinous criminal enterprises in recent memory.
The Comments That Shocked the Nation
On July 21, 2020, during a White House press briefing, Trump was asked about Maxwell’s arrest. His response was jaw-dropping:
“I just wish her well, frankly. I’ve met her numerous times over the years. I just wish her well, whatever it is.”
The phrase “whatever it is” dripped with ambiguity, as if the charges, luring and grooming children for sexual exploitation, were a minor inconvenience or misunderstanding. Less than two weeks later, on August 3, 2020, in an interview with Axios journalist Jonathan Swan, Trump doubled down. When pressed on why he would wish well to a woman accused of such atrocities, he replied:
“Yeah, I wish her well. I’d wish you well. I’d wish a lot of people well. Good luck. Let them prove somebody was guilty.”
Swan pushed back, highlighting the gravity of Maxwell’s alleged crimes, but Trump was unmoved:
“I do wish her well. I’m not looking for anything bad for her. I’m not looking bad for anybody.”
These statements, preserved in video and transcript form by outlets like Axios and The Washington Post, are not open to dispute. They are a matter of public record, and their implications are staggering.
Why These Words Matter
Maxwell’s charges were not abstract or trivial. She was accused of procuring and grooming vulnerable girls, some as young as 14, for Epstein and his network of powerful men to abuse. The allegations, detailed in court documents, paint a picture of calculated predation, with Maxwell allegedly acting as a confidante to lure girls into Epstein’s orbit, only for them to face unimaginable trauma. Yet, Trump’s response was not one of horror or condemnation but of casual, almost flippant goodwill toward the accused.
Contrast this with Trump’s typical rhetoric. He has called political opponents “crooked,” “low IQ,” and “enemies of the people.” He has vilified immigrants, journalists, and even fellow Republicans with gleeful venom. Yet, for a woman at the heart of a child sex trafficking scandal, he offered warmth and well-wishes. This inconsistency is not just jarring—it’s suspicious.
More damning still is the absence of any mention of the victims. In neither instance did Trump express sorrow, anger, or solidarity with the girls whose lives were shattered by Epstein and Maxwell’s actions. His silence on their suffering speaks volumes, suggesting either a profound lack of empathy or a deliberate choice to avoid drawing attention to the victims’ plight.
A Tangled Web of Connections
Trump’s comments cannot be viewed in a vacuum. His ties to Epstein and Maxwell are well-documented. In a 2002 New York Magazine interview, Trump described Epstein as a “terrific guy” and noted, “It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.” Photographs from the 1990s and early 2000s show Trump socializing with Epstein and Maxwell at events like Mar-a-Lago gatherings and New York galas. While Trump later claimed a “falling out” with Epstein, no credible evidence or timeline substantiates this claim, leaving it as a convenient but unverified assertion.
These connections raise uncomfortable questions. Was Trump’s leniency toward Maxwell a reflection of personal loyalty? A signal to other elites implicated in the Epstein case? Or, more disturbingly, a calculated move to avoid antagonizing someone who might hold damaging information? Maxwell, as Epstein’s confidante, was privy to the inner workings of his network, a network that allegedly included some of the world’s most powerful figures. Trump’s wish that she fare “well” could be interpreted as a plea for her silence, a nod to mutual protection among the elite.
The Broader Implications
The Epstein-Maxwell case has long been a lightning rod for theories about elite complicity. Court documents, including those unsealed in 2021, reveal a web of influential figures, politicians, businessmen, and celebrities, who moved in Epstein’s orbit. While no direct evidence ties Trump to Epstein’s crimes, his comments about Maxwell fuel speculation about what he knew and when. Why would a man who built his brand on “law and order” offer such a soft touch to an alleged child sex trafficker? Why the refusal to condemn her actions outright?
Some argue Trump’s remarks were merely a product of his narcissism, an inability to admit that someone he once associated with could be guilty of such horrors. To acknowledge Maxwell’s crimes would be to cast a shadow on his own judgment, his own social circle. Others see a darker motive, a dog whistle to other powerful figures, signaling that the elite protect their own, even in the face of monstrous allegations.
A Call to Reflect
Trump’s “wish her well” comments are not a mere footnote in his presidency, they are a stain that demands scrutiny. They reveal a man who, when confronted with the horrors of child trafficking, chose to express sympathy for the accused rather than the victims. They hint at a world where power and privilege shield the guilty, where loyalty to a social circle outweighs justice for the vulnerable.
As citizens, we must ask: What does it say about a leader who offers kindness to a figure like Maxwell? What does it say about a society that allows such comments to fade into the background? The Epstein-Maxwell saga is a stark reminder that power often comes with impunity, and Trump’s words are a troubling echo of that reality. It’s time to demand accountability, not just for Maxwell, but for anyone who, through silence or complicity, enables such atrocities to persist.
Resources:
Trump on accused sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell: “I wish her well”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-ghislaine-maxwell-i-wish-her-well/
Trump on accused Epstein sex crimes accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell: ‘I wish her well’
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/07/21/trump-on-accused-epstein-sex-crimes-accomplice-ghislaine-maxwell-i-wish-her-well.html
Trump Wished Ghislaine Maxwell ‘Well.’ For Abuse Survivors Like Me, The Injury Is Profound
https://www.wbur.org/cognoscenti/2020/07/27/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-trump-kathryn-robb
The new revelation about Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, explained
https://www.vox.com/politics/420340/jeffrey-epstein-trump-friends-birthday-book-secret
Trump Worried After Ghislaine Maxwell Arrest: ‘She Ask About Me?’
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-worried-after-ghislaine-maxwell-arrest-she-ask-about-me