The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell Lawrence: Trump reveals he’s considering pardoning convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell
Oct 7, 2025
Rep. Robert Garcia, a prominent Democrat and member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, joins to discuss Donald Trump's troubling comments about potentially pardoning Ghislaine Maxwell. Garcia elaborates on oversight plans to subpoena Maxwell for answers regarding her connections and the Epstein scandal. The conversation also touches on the Justice Department's hurdles in prosecuting former FBI Director James Comey and the impact of Trump's recent cuts to clean energy funding, highlighting the political and environmental stakes at play.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Written Interviews Lower Accountability
- Lawrence O'Donnell criticizes Trump's written CNN interview as lowering journalistic standards and creating opaque presidential communication.
- He warns that accepting text answers lets Trump avoid accountability and may become a new norm for Sunday shows.
Pardon Becomes Last Legal Hope
- The Supreme Court denied Ghislaine Maxwell's appeal, leaving a presidential pardon as her remaining hope.
- Lawrence highlights Trump's openness to "take a look" at pardoning a convicted sex trafficker as alarming and politically consequential.
Court Record Details Victim Harm
- The sentencing transcript records that Maxwell 'directly and repeatedly' participated in trafficking and some abuse alongside Epstein.
- Victim statements describe lifelong trauma and demand that Maxwell serve her full sentence.