See the photos: Are Donald Trump and Ghislaine Maxwell close?

By now, we’re all familiar with the chilling Jeffrey Epstein & Ghislaine Maxwell case. But what makes the whole thing even eerier is the connection between Maxwell and some big names. Her former friends include Prince Andrew, former president Bill Clinton, and none other than former president Donald Trump. So how close were Maxwell & Trump? See the photos and find out for yourself.

What Trump thinks of their relationship

Last summer during a COVID-19 press brief, a reporter from The New York Post asked Donald Trump his thoughts on the recent news regarding disgraced ex girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell. This question was asked shortly after Maxwell’s arrest in July. Trump responded: “I haven’t really been following it too much. I just wish her well, frankly.” This comment unsurprisingly met Trump with backlash, who was asked in an interview by Axios national political correspondent, Jonathan Swan: “Mr. President, Ghislaine Maxwell has been arrested on allegations of child sex trafficking. Why would you wish such a person well?” Trump immediately backed down, explaining: “Her boyfriend was either killed or committed suicide in jail. Now she’s in jail. Yeah, I wish her well.”

The case against Ghislaine Maxwell

At the time of Trump’s response, Maxwell had been taken into custody and charged with a whopping six counts: four related to the sexual abuse of minors and two for perjury. The indictment read: “From at least in or about 1994, up to and including at least in or about 1997, Maxwell assisted, facilitated, and contributed to Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse of minor girls by, among other things, helping Epstein to recruit, groom, and ultimately abuse victims known to Maxwell ad Epstein to be under the age of 18.” The document continues: “The victims were as young as 14 years old when they were groomed and abused by Maxwell and Epstein, both of whom knew that certain victims were in fact under the age of 18.” Maxwell was convicted in December 2021 on five counts and sentenced in June 2022 to twenty years in prison. The Second Circuit affirmed the conviction in 2024. The Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal in October 2025, leaving the sentence intact.

The Palm Beach Story

Back in the 90’s and early 2000’s, Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell ran in many of the same circles in New York & Palm Beach, those being places they both lived. Trump & Epstein were frequently seen together in photos, including at a “calendar girls” party held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club, where the two were VIP guests.

He’s a terrific guy

In 2002, Donald Trump made it clear that he thought of Jeffrey Epstein as more than just an acquaintance. In an interview, he told New York Magazine’s Landon Thomas Jr.: “I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years. Terrific guy. 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.”

Shady connections

In 2000, Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein were spotted & photographed next to each other at a fashion show for disgraced designer Anand Jon. Jon was arrested seven years later on charges of rape, sexual battery, lewd acts on a child, and other offenses. The Daily Mail reported Anand Jon was the fashion designer who discovered Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, and put her on the runway when she was just fourteen. Jon also worked with celebrities like Paris Hilton & Mary J. Blige before allegations against him came to light.

Other friends

Another unsavory friendship Donald Trump has been known to uphold is Prince Andrew, a longtime friend of Ghislaine Maxwell who was reported to have sexual relationships with a young girl working for Maxwell and Epstein. In a 2000 interview with People Magazine, Trump said about Andrew: “He’s not pretentious. He’s a lot of fun to be with.” In a 2019 interview, however, Trump backtracked these statements. “I don’t know Prince Andrew,” he said. “But it’s a tough story.” In April 2026, First Lady Melania Trump issued a statement denying any substantive relationship with Epstein or Maxwell and urging congressional hearings focused on survivors.

Recent Epstein File Releases and Trump Mentions

Multiple large DOJ document releases since 2025 reference Trump extensively. The January 2026 release of nearly three million pages contained over one thousand mentions of Trump, flight logs noting multiple 1990s trips, and victim accounts of party interactions presented by Maxwell. These materials add documented context to the long-public photographs of the three socializing in New York and Palm Beach without altering the timeline of known events.

Maxwell's 2025 Prison Transfer

Maxwell was transferred in August 2025 from FCI Tallahassee in Florida to the minimum-security Federal Prison Camp at Bryan, Texas. The move to a lower-security facility is unusual for convictions involving sex offenses. The camp has previously housed other high-profile inmates, including Elizabeth Holmes.

Melania Trump's Statement on Epstein Connections

In April 2026, the First Lady released a statement addressing public speculation. She denied any close relationship or victim status, acknowledged only trivial emails and social events, and called for congressional action centered on survivors. The statement placed the family response on record amid renewed document releases.

Ongoing Appeals and Clemency Discussions

After the Supreme Court declined review in October 2025, Maxwell’s twenty-year sentence stood. In February 2026, video surfaced of her invoking the Fifth Amendment during proceedings linked to reported clemency inquiries. Those efforts remain under discussion without altering her current confinement status.

Maxwell is serving her sentence at FPC Bryan. The historical photographs continue to surface whenever new files appear, keeping the record of past social overlap in circulation.