US President Donald Trump said that he is willing to “release everything” that the government has, related to infamous child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, at the same time, he also expressed disapproval for a possible pardon for Sean “Diddy.”
Speaking to Newsmax host Rob Finnerty on Friday, Trump addressed growing calls for transparency surrounding Epstein’s past and his convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell. His comments come a week after deputy attorney general Todd Blanche conducted a nine-hour interview with Maxwell at a federal prison in Florida, New York Post reported.
“I think [Blanche] probably wanted to know, you know, just to get a feeling of it, because we’d like to release everything, but we don’t want people to get hurt that shouldn’t be hurt,” Trump said.
“I want to release everything,” he said, adding, “I just don’t want people to get hurt.”
The US President further claimed that he has not spoken to Blanche about the Maxwell interview and is unaware of any current plans to release a transcript. “Todd went in and I think he just wants to make sure that innocent people aren’t hurt,” he said.
On the question of a potential pardon for Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and was recently transferred to a minimum-security facility in Texas, Trump responded cautiously.
“I’m allowed to do it, but nobody’s asked me to do it,” he said.
“I know nothing about it. I don’t know anything about the case, but I know I have the right to do it.”
The conversation then shifted to Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was recently found guilty of two counts of prostitution but cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. When asked if he would consider a pardon for the rapper, Trump sounded doubtful. He is due to be sentenced in October and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
“Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half innocent,” Trump said of Combs’ case.
The president admitted he was torn on the issue, citing his past rapport with Combs. “Probably – eh, you know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great, and seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well, but when I ran for office he was very hostile,” he said.
“It’s hard, you know, like, we’re human beings, and we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements – so, I don’t know, it’s more difficult,” Trump added.
“It makes it more – I’m being honest – it makes it more difficult to do.”
The US President further added, “They have talked to me about Sean.”
When asked directly if that meant he was “more likely a ‘no’ for Combs,” Trump replied, “I would say so.”
Speaking to Newsmax host Rob Finnerty on Friday, Trump addressed growing calls for transparency surrounding Epstein’s past and his convicted associate Ghislaine Maxwell. His comments come a week after deputy attorney general Todd Blanche conducted a nine-hour interview with Maxwell at a federal prison in Florida, New York Post reported.
“I think [Blanche] probably wanted to know, you know, just to get a feeling of it, because we’d like to release everything, but we don’t want people to get hurt that shouldn’t be hurt,” Trump said.
“I want to release everything,” he said, adding, “I just don’t want people to get hurt.”
The US President further claimed that he has not spoken to Blanche about the Maxwell interview and is unaware of any current plans to release a transcript. “Todd went in and I think he just wants to make sure that innocent people aren’t hurt,” he said.
On the question of a potential pardon for Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and was recently transferred to a minimum-security facility in Texas, Trump responded cautiously.
“I’m allowed to do it, but nobody’s asked me to do it,” he said.
“I know nothing about it. I don’t know anything about the case, but I know I have the right to do it.”
The conversation then shifted to Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was recently found guilty of two counts of prostitution but cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering charges. When asked if he would consider a pardon for the rapper, Trump sounded doubtful. He is due to be sentenced in October and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
“Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half innocent,” Trump said of Combs’ case.
The president admitted he was torn on the issue, citing his past rapport with Combs. “Probably – eh, you know, I was very friendly with him. I got along with him great, and seemed like a nice guy. I didn’t know him well, but when I ran for office he was very hostile,” he said.
“It’s hard, you know, like, we’re human beings, and we don’t like to have things cloud our judgment, right? But when you knew someone and you were fine, and then you run for office, and he made some terrible statements – so, I don’t know, it’s more difficult,” Trump added.
“It makes it more – I’m being honest – it makes it more difficult to do.”
The US President further added, “They have talked to me about Sean.”
When asked directly if that meant he was “more likely a ‘no’ for Combs,” Trump replied, “I would say so.”
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