The brother of Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre said this week it was “hurtful” to hear President Donald Trump decline to rule out a possible pardon for Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker who was Epstein’s longtime associate, The Hill reported.
Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother, told MSNBC’s Jen Psaki on Tuesday that Trump’s hesitation struck survivors of Epstein’s crimes as dismissive.
“It’s hurtful for a lot of survivors out there. It’s hurtful for me, as a family member, to even hear the potential for a pardon — that he is considering it, or possibly not considering it, as he said. He didn’t waver one way or the other,” Roberts said. “However, I mean, why is this even a conversation?”
Maxwell, 63, was convicted in 2021 of conspiring with Epstein to recruit and groom underage girls for sexual abuse. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to review her conviction, leaving intact a high-profile case that prosecutors said exposed a sprawling sex-trafficking operation.
“She was convicted of basically running a sex trafficking ring,” Roberts said. “What does this teach our children? What does this teach the people around us?
“I can’t even look my daughter in the face and give her a square answer about what our government stands for, and that’s disgraceful. It really is disgraceful, and it’s very hurtful.”
Roberts also reflected on his late sister, who died by suicide this past April at age 41 after years of speaking out as one of Epstein’s most visible accusers. He said she once believed Trump would stand with survivors because of promises he made during his campaign.
“I know my sister would be very hurt by it because we did believe, based off of the campaign that he ran, that he would do the right thing,” he said.
“And, right now, he seems to have amnesia, as [do] most of the campaign administrators or people that he appointed. They seem to have amnesia that they ran their campaign on this.”
Trump was pressed on the issue Monday in an exchange with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, but he repeatedly refused to commit either way.
“You know, I haven’t heard the name in so long. I can say this, that I’d have to take a look at it. I would have to take a look.
“I’ll take a look at it. I’ll speak to the DOJ,” the president said, referring to the Department of Justice. “I wouldn’t consider it or not consider — I don’t know anything about it. I will speak to the DOJ.”
The White House, responding to questions, emphasized that pardon deliberations are not discussed publicly.
“The White House does not comment on the existence or nonexistence of pardons,” a spokesperson told The Hill. “The President is the final decider on pardons.”
The federal pardon power, granted under the Constitution, allows presidents broad authority to grant clemency for federal crimes. Though rare in cases involving sex-trafficking convictions, presidents have used the power to grant reprieves in the past, sometimes igniting political backlash.?
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