Donald Trump supports the Justice Department's release of materials to Congress on the case of financier Jeffrey Epstein, convicted of child sex crimes and other serious crimes of this kind.

The president announced this to reporters at the White House. "Innocent people should not be harmed, but I support complete openness on this issue. I don't care at all," Trump said, answering a question about his attitude to the beginning of the transfer of the aforementioned documents from the Justice Department to the Oversight and Accountability Committee of the US House of Representatives.

"I don't know anything about it. But I told everyone, Pam [attorney general] and everyone else - give them [lawmakers] everything they can give them," the American leader added, quoted by news agencies and local media. "There could be a lot of people in this material who don't deserve it," Trump added. "He knew everyone in Palm Beach," he emphasized, speaking of Epstein.

Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate is located in the Florida city. Trump has also expressed confidence that some details about the Epstein case were fabricated by Democrats for political purposes.

Ghislaine Maxwell, an aide to Epstein, told Justice Department officials during questioning that she had never seen inappropriate behavior from Donald Trump. "I have never seen the president in an inappropriate situation. In all the time I was around him, the president never behaved inappropriately with anyone. "He was a gentleman in every way," The Washington Post quoted excerpts from transcripts and audio recordings of Maxwell's interrogations released by the department on Friday. They were conducted in July. "President Trump has always been very warm and kind to me," said Maxwell, who is currently serving a sentence.

As the publication notes, Maxwell did not give incriminating testimony about celebrities, including the 42nd US President Bill Clinton. She also assured that Epstein did not have anything resembling a client list. She stated that she had not heard of any attempts to blackmail celebrities associated with Epstein. She believes that Epstein had no connection with the intelligence services.

In addition, Maxwell noted that, in her opinion, Epstein did not commit suicide in 2019, but was killed, possibly by one of the prisoners. The publication emphasizes that Maxwell was transferred to another prison with less strict conditions of detention shortly after this interrogation. Trump stated in early August that he knew nothing about this. Maxwell's lawyer assured that she answered all questions honestly.

Epstein case

Epstein was arrested in New York state on July 6, 2019. Prosecutors said they had evidence that he arranged visits to his Manhattan home from 2002 to 2005 for dozens of underage girls, the youngest of whom was 14 years old. Epstein's circle of friends and acquaintances included a large number of current and retired officials not only in the United States but also in many other countries, including former heads of state, major entrepreneurs and show business stars. The criminal prosecution of the financier in the United States was terminated after his suicide in a prison cell on August 10, 2019. Among Epstein's acquaintances were Bill Clinton and Trump. Supporters of the American president have repeatedly called on him to publish all information about the Epstein case. Trump and members of his team promised during the election campaign last year to declassify documents from the Epstein investigation and ensure maximum transparency in the case.

As the Wall Street Journal reported on July 23, citing administration officials in Washington, US Attorney General Pam Bondi informed Trump in the spring that his name appeared in documents related to Epstein, along with the names of “many other prominent figures.” The White House called the publication false. | BGNES