White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany pushed back Thursday on criticism of President Donald Trump’s well wishes to accused Jeffrey Epstein conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell.
NEW YORK – DECEMBER 8: Socialite Ghislane Maxwell with an unidentified male companion attends the Opening of the Asprey Flagship Store on 5th Avenue December 8, 2003 in New York City. (Photo by Mark Mainz/Getty Images)
Trump told reporters at Tuesday’s White House coronavirus briefing that he had not been following new developments in Maxwell’s case, but added “I wish her well.” (RELATED: Judge Denies Bail For Ghislaine Maxwell, Sets Trial In Sexual Abuse Case For July 2021)
McEnany told Fox News’ Bret Baier that “what the president was noting is that the last person who was charged in this case ended up dead in a jail cell, and the president wants justice served for victims in this case and he prefers that to play out in a courtroom.”
WATCH:
McEnany added that she had spoken to the president specifically about his Maxwell comments.
“This president is the president that banned Jeffrey Epstein from coming to Mar-a-Lago,” she stated. “This president was always on top of this, noting this and banning this man from his property, long before this case was played out in a court of law.” (RELATED: FBI Had To Chase Maxwell Around New Hampshire Hideaway, Discovered Cell Phone Wrapped In Tinfoil)
Trump left Wednesday’s coronavirus press briefing as reporters asked him to clarify the Tuesday comments.
A judge in Maxwell’s case denied the accused sex trafficker’s bail request at a hearing last week. She is currently slated to go to trial in July of 2021. The United States District Court of Southern New York indicted Maxwell on charges of conspiracy entice minors to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors to these illegal sex acts, transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sex acts, and perjury. Maxwell’s victims were as young as 14 years old.
It should be noted that during a 2002 interview with New York Magazine, Trump heartily complimented Epstein.
“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy,” Trump stated. “He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side. No doubt about it — Jeffrey enjoys his social life.”