House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) strongly rejected the idea of a pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted in 2022 for her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes, stating she deserves a life sentence. In a July 27, 2025, interview on NBC’s Meet the Press, Johnson called Maxwell’s 20-year sentence “a pittance” for orchestrating “unspeakable crimes” involving over 1,000 victims, many underage. He described her actions as “unforgivable” and expressed “great pause” about any clemency, though he deferred the final decision to President Donald Trump, saying, “That’s not my lane.” Johnson’s stance contrasts with Trump’s ambiguous comments on July 25, 2025, when he noted he could pardon Maxwell but hadn’t considered it. Johnson also questioned Maxwell’s credibility as a witness, citing her conviction and perjury charges from a 2016 civil deposition, despite supporting her recent DOJ interviews and a House Oversight Committee subpoena for her testimony. His position aligns with his push for transparency in the Epstein case, though he criticized a bipartisan bill by Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna to release Epstein files, arguing it lacks sufficient victim protections.
