In a striking reversal from just two weeks ago, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche reportedly announced Tuesday that the Department of Justice is reopening lines of inquiry into potential crimes tied to the late Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network — and this time, Ghislaine Maxwell may finally be heard.
Blanche’s statement, shared across official channels and amplified by Attorney General Pam Bondi, declared that federal prosecutors have initiated contact with Maxwell’s legal team to explore whether she is willing to name names and provide new information on crimes committed against victims. “If Ghislaine Maxwell has information about anyone who has committed crimes against victims,” Blanche stated, “the FBI and DOJ will hear what she has to say.”
This marks a dramatic departure from the DOJ’s July 6 memo — co-signed by Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Bondi herself — which concluded that a “thorough review” of the Epstein case yielded no new evidence to support further prosecutions of uncharged third parties.
That memo, widely perceived by critics as an institutional brush-off, triggered a wave of public backlash — particularly from conservative media figures and allies of President Donald Trump, who have long expressed skepticism over the DOJ’s commitment to transparency in the Epstein case.
Bondi’s message accompanying Blanche’s announcement made clear that this shift comes straight from the top. “This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths,” she wrote. “President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence.”
Bondi also acknowledged that no prior administration had contacted Maxwell about cooperating with prosecutors — a silence the Trump-aligned DOJ now seems determined to break. “Until now, no administration on behalf of the Department had inquired about her willingness to meet with the government,” Blanche said. “That changes now.”
Patel, signaling his endorsement, reposted Bondi’s message with a blunt note of support: “Get it.”
While some critics accused officials of playing politics — noting that many of the same figures now reopening the case had previously signed off on its closure — supporters argue that Trump-era DOJ leaders are finally doing what previous administrations failed to do: pursue every lead, no matter how politically inconvenient.
Indeed, the reopening of communications with Maxwell is likely to raise fresh questions about why the Obama and Biden administrations, both of which oversaw key phases of the Epstein saga, never took this step.
For years, survivors and whistleblowers have claimed that powerful individuals tied to Epstein’s circle evaded scrutiny due to a lack of will from federal authorities.
By signaling a willingness to hear from Maxwell — Epstein’s confidante and co-conspirator, now serving a 20-year prison sentence — the DOJ under Trump may be stepping into politically dangerous but morally necessary territory.
Whether the move yields results remains to be seen. But for many conservatives and justice advocates, it is a long-overdue start.
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