Someone needs to tell Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt that she can not ‘not’ answer the questions asked during a press briefing. Governments work for the people in the country and everyone in the administration is answerable to the citizens and media.
Maybe the members of the Trump administration need a lesson in how to function. This was felt after a Thursday press conference. On Thursday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked a pointed question. She was asked if President Trump intends to pardon Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein.
The question was asked during a very obvious tense briefing, and rather than answering it, Leavitt completely sidelined it and ignored the question altogether.
People have described the monet as awkward and very telling. described the moment as “awkward” and “telling.” It was noted that Leavitt even refused to acknowledge the existence of the question.
Her response was a glaring example of how this administration plans to treat the controversy of the Elston files. This response was not appreciated by the press corps and set off a chain of reaction in the social media.
Leavitt ignores a question about Trump possibly pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell pic.twitter.com/aKzfdNMpUg
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 17, 2025
Users have said that the topic is very much relevant and needs addressing, and officials in the administration can not dissociate from it just by pretending.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s family and legal team have been fighting and appealing for a pardon. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for her role in trafficking underage girls for Epstein’s abuse. Since then, she has remained a focal point in debates about accountability and judicial transparency for the rich and elite in the world.
However, after Donald Trump called the Epstein case a hoax by the democrats, there is a question of legitimacy of the trial against Maxwell. Something that her family has been fighting for years. After the president’s statements, the pardon for Maxwell’s appeal has gained new grounds.
Maxwell’s siblings have repeatedly criticized the U.S. legal system. They have claimed she was denied a fair trial and have been subjected to inhumane detention conditions. Maxwell’s family has called her prosecution politically motivated. They have also said that she was made a scapegoat to save face while all those who should be in prison roam freely.
“Ghislaine Maxwell’s family have broken their silence to insist she is innocent and was subjected to ‘government misconduct’ in an unscrupulous effort to blame someone for Jeffrey Epstein ‘s crimes after he died”
Oh, there’s the twins🎶https://t.co/rtQeaxBeVQ
* Darktrace pic.twitter.com/oZY2QTaHux
— artisbrutal2021 (@artisbrutal2021) July 16, 2025
Her legal team has also vowed to take her case to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.
David Oscar Marcus is Maxwell’s lead attorney. He has described it all as a classic case of double standards in the justice system. He has argued many times that his client became a “proxy” for Epstein following his death.
Marcus has said there have been internal communications among prosecutors and it shows inconsistencies and potential biases when it comes to handling Maxwell’s case compared to other high-profile defendants.
“With all the talk about who’s being prosecuted and who isn’t, it’s especially unfair that Ghislaine Maxwell remains in prison based on a promise the U.S. government made and broke,” Marcus added.https://t.co/7K4YOeDvN8
— STLMODems (@stlmodems) July 16, 2025
Leavitt’s dismissal of the Maxwell pardon inquiry is now seen as a part of a larger strategy by the Trump administration. They are trying to control the narrative and avoid any disclosure. If they don’t answer anything related to Epstein or Maxwell, it is speculated that the media might get tired of no response and will stop asking questions.
However, one thing is clear, there is no transparency, accountability or justice if the media is shut out like this and no one answers the important questions like- Where are Epstein Files?
