Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime girlfriend and convicted accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, will sit for a congressional deposition next month, House lawmakers announced Wednesday, reopening one of the most radioactive scandals of the past decade.
The appearance comes as a federal judge separately rejected an effort by House Republicans to appoint a special master to oversee the Trump administration’s halting release of documents tied to Epstein, dealing a blow to lawmakers seeking court supervision of the process.
House Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said during a hearing that Maxwell will comply with a subpoena issued by the committee, which has been investigating the federal government’s handling of Epstein’s multiple criminal probes. Maxwell is expected to appear virtually. Her attorneys have already made clear she plans to invoke her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in response to lawmakers’ questions.
Congress cannot compel Maxwell to waive those protections. Nor can it grant the clemency she is seeking from the Trump administration. The Oversight Committee has also ruled out offering immunity for her testimony, effectively ensuring that the deposition will produce little in the way of new public disclosures.
Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for her role in recruiting and trafficking underage girls for Epstein, who died in a Manhattan detention facility in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. Epstein had previously received a widely criticized 2008 plea deal that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution despite extensive evidence of abuse.
The renewed congressional focus follows months of turmoil surrounding the Epstein files. In early 2025, the Trump administration publicly embraced calls for transparency, with senior officials including Vice President JD Vance voicing support for releasing the government’s full cache of evidence related to Epstein and his network of wealthy and powerful associates, which included figures such as Donald Trump and Bill Clinton.
That openness abruptly stalled over the summer. After a White House event that distributed a so-called “phase one” release of Epstein materials to conservative influencers, promised follow-up disclosures never arrived. Attorney General Pam Bondi later announced, alongside the FBI, that no further releases would be forthcoming.
The reversal ignited a firestorm. Accusations of a cover-up surged online and across cable news, with polling in July 2025 showing a majority of Americans believed the administration was shielding powerful individuals from scrutiny. In response, the Oversight Committee began releasing documents in small batches, fueling further speculation rather than quelling it.
Media attention intensified after The Wall Street Journal reported on an alleged birthday note sent by Trump to Epstein before his 2008 conviction, featuring a crude drawing and a reference to a “secret” the two men supposedly shared. The report further inflamed public distrust and sharpened demands for accountability.
