Good afternoon, Meidas Mighty! It’s time for your afternoon news update. I’ll keep this brief.
First, I’ll start with what Trump was doing last night. Late Sunday night, Trump posted a digitally altered image of himself looming over a map showing the United States, Canada, Greenland, parts of the Caribbean, and South America all draped in the American flag, while he appeared encircled by European leaders. Trump continues to threaten to annex the entire western hemisphere as world leaders have increasingly distanced themselves from him and the U.S.
But let’s not get distracted. I want to remained focused on the Epstein files. Earlier on Capitol Hill, Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficker and longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and refused to answer all substantive questions during her remote House Oversight Committee deposition. Maxwell read a brief opening statement prepared by her attorney and then declined to engage further. Maxwell’s intention to plead the Fifth was first reported yesterday right here on the Meidas+ Substack.
Maxwell’s refusal to testify was not about legal risk, but about leverage. Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Marcus, used the deposition to publicly argue that his client would be willing to speak “fully and honestly” if she were granted clemency by Trump. Maxwell would happily clear Trump of all wrongdoing, the attorney said, so long as Trump frees her from prison. How convenient.
In a statement submitted to the committee, Marcus claimed Maxwell’s conviction rested on a “fundamentally unfair trial” and pointed to a pending habeas petition as justification for her silence.
That argument doesn’t hold water. Maxwell’s direct appeals have been exhausted. Her conviction in the Southern District of New York was upheld by the trial court and the appellate court, and the Supreme Court declined to take her case. Legal experts note that virtually every prisoner has the ability to file a habeas petition, often repeatedly, and that such filings do not normally justify a blanket refusal to testify.
House Democrats also highlighted a glaring inconsistency. Maxwell previously answered questions posed by Todd Blanche, Trump’s former criminal defense lawyer who later became a senior Justice Department official. During that questioning, Maxwell did not invoke the Fifth Amendment and made statements that further incriminated her. Now, after additional Epstein-related documents have been made public, she is refusing to answer even basic factual questions.
Those unanswered questions go to the heart of the investigation. Members of Congress sought information about alleged co-conspirators, men who allegedly sexually abused minors alongside Epstein, and the reasons they were not charged. They also asked about Maxwell’s own filings asserting the existence of unnamed co-conspirators and secret settlements, as well as Trump’s documented social relationship with Epstein.
Rep. Ro Khanna said the blanket invocation made little sense given the nature of the questions. He noted that several of his inquiries did not implicate Maxwell criminally but could implicate powerful third parties. Khanna said the refusal only deepened concerns about selective silence designed to protect others.
Rep. Melanie Stansbury called the episode evidence of an active cover-up. She said the deposition appeared to be a coordinated attempt to keep Maxwell silent long enough to secure clemency, rather than to provide accountability for victims of sex trafficking. Stansbury pointed to the growing number of Epstein-related investigations overseas, noting that leaders in multiple countries have been forced to resign or face scrutiny over mere associations with Epstein.
Other Democrats echoed that assessment. Lawmakers repeatedly described Maxwell’s lawyer’s statement as an “audition for a pardon,” arguing that the message was unmistakable: silence now in exchange for freedom later. Several demanded that Trump publicly and unequivocally rule out any pardon or commutation for Maxwell, a step he has so far refused to take.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Maxwell’s continued silence demonstrated a complete lack of remorse and concern for survivors. She accused the Trump administration of prioritizing the protection of the powerful over accountability for crimes against children, adding that Democrats on Oversight and Judiciary would not be deterred or distracted.
The cover-up unfolded as the Trump administration faced pressure on multiple fronts. On CNBC, Trump’s National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett suggested Americans should expect weaker job growth, arguing that immigration crackdowns and rising productivity could lead to job losses even as corporate profits increase. Hassett urged the public not to “panic” if job numbers come in lower than expected, perhaps hinting at what’s to come.
Polling released Monday added to Trump’s troubles. CNN data presented by analyst Harry Enten showed Trump’s support among voters without a college degree, long a core part of his political base, has collapsed. After winning those voters by double digits in 2024, Trump is now underwater with them.
Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Bryan Steil defended the use of masked ICE agents and administrative warrants, warning that requiring visible identification could endanger officers. Let me be clear: that is fundamentally un-American.
Later today, MeidasTouch Editor in Chief Ron Filipkowski will publish his Monday bulletin with all the top stories. I’ll also be going live with my brothers on the MeidasTouch Podcast later today at 8p ET/5p PT on YouTube. See you then!
