Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post has taken sharp aim at the president over reports that Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime accomplice, is enjoying VIP treatment in federal prison.
In a blistering editorial published Tuesday, the paper’s board called on the Trump administration to “end the special treatment” allegedly being afforded to Maxwell and to “throw cold water on her hopes for a presidential commutation.” It comes as Maxwell reportedly prepares to seek a commutation from Trump.
The Post’s rebuke followed the release of whistleblower complaints by House Democrats this week alleging that Maxwell is being “waited on hand and foot” at a minimum-security federal prison in Florida. According to those documents, the disgraced socialite has been given “customized meals,” private recreation time, and access to “puppies to play with.”
One complaint cited in the report claimed that the warden of the facility, Tanisha Hall, personally carried out errands and “secretarial duties” for Maxwell, even helping her prepare a clemency application to the White House. Staff who objected, the whistleblower alleged, were punished.
The Post editorial labeled Maxwell’s alleged “five-star experience” as “bewildering,” questioning who in Trump’s orbit was pushing for such treatment. “She deserves hard time—not a stint in a glorified adult daycare,” the paper wrote, accusing the Bureau of Prisons of catering to Maxwell “at taxpayer expense.”
Maxwell, 63, is serving a 20-year sentence for helping Epstein recruit and groom underage girls for sexual abuse. She was transferred to a low-security facility in Tallahassee last year.
The Post urged the Trump administration to make clear that no leniency would be granted, warning that a pardon or commutation would spark “justified public outrage.” “Sickos who prey on kids shouldn’t get kid-glove treatment, nor sprung from prison early,” the board said.
The editorial marks a rare break between the pro-Trump tabloid and the president it has long championed. While the Post has occasionally scolded Trump’s behavior—most notably after the 2020 election—it has largely served as a supportive voice for his administration and 2024 campaign.
Now, the paper’s call for Trump to personally denounce Maxwell’s alleged privileges places it directly at odds with the White House’s silence on the issue. “Unless Team Trump wants another headache,” the Post concluded, “Maxwell’s Club Fed treatment needs to end, pronto.”
The White House and the Justice Department have been asked to comment.
