President Donald Trump said Friday that he wants to declassify and release all government-held information related to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, while also suggesting he is unlikely to pardon rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was recently convicted on two counts of prostitution.
Speaking in an interview with Newsmax host Rob Finnerty, Trump said:
“I want to release everything. I just don’t want people to get hurt.”
Trump’s comments come just one week after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche conducted a nine-hour interview with Epstein’s longtime associate and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell at a minimum-security prison in Texas.
“Todd went in and I think he just wants to make sure that innocent people aren’t hurt,” Trump said, adding he hasn’t spoken directly with Blanche about the Maxwell interview.
Full Epstein File Release?
Trump indicated his administration is seriously considering releasing all documents related to the Epstein case, which could include names, logs, communications, and sealed materials that have long fueled speculation about high-profile individuals with ties to the disgraced financier.
“We’d like to release everything,” Trump repeated. “But we don’t want people to get hurt that shouldn’t be hurt.”
The administration has not confirmed whether a transcript of Maxwell’s interview will be made public.
No Pardon Likely for Ghislaine Maxwell
While Trump acknowledged he has the authority to pardon Maxwell, he said no formal request has been made.
“I know I have the right to do it… but nobody’s asked me,” Trump said, distancing himself from the case.
“I don’t know anything about it.”
Trump on Diddy: “I Would Say No”
On the topic of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was recently found guilty of two prostitution charges but acquitted on more serious sex trafficking and racketeering counts, Trump was far less sympathetic.
“He was essentially, I guess, sort of half innocent,” Trump said.
Trump revealed he has been approached about the possibility of issuing Combs a pardon but is leaning against it — partly due to personal history.
“We were friendly, but when I ran for office, he was very hostile,” Trump noted.
“It makes it more difficult to do… I’m being honest.”
When asked directly if he was “more likely a ‘no,’” Trump replied:
“I would say so.”
Combs faces sentencing in October and could receive up to 20 years in prison.
