CNN halts for breaking Trump alert as Ghislaine Maxwell could expose 'embarrassing' truth

CNN's Abby Phillip halted her news programme to bring breaking news on Donald Trump after it was reported that Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend and co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, would testify before Congress, but with major conditions, including immunity, according to a list of her demands sent to the House Oversight Committee by her attorneys.

Maxwell’s attorneys said they initially decided to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights, but then offered to cooperate with Congress “if a fair and safe path forward can be established". Her attorneys noted Maxwell is currently appealing her conviction to the Supreme Court and argued that “any testimony she provides now could compromise her constitutional rights, prejudice her legal claims, and potentially taint a future jury pool".

Phillip discussed how Maxwell speaking out could impact Trump and his supporters in a major way, as she shared a tweet from internet personality Natalie F Danelishen.

The CNN host read: "This is how it all goes down, Ghislaine names a bunch of democrats, maybe tosses in a few billionaires. She says Trump did nothing wrong. Maga praises her for 'taking down paedophiles'. Trump pardons her for telling the truth."

Phillip said this suggested sequence of events would be "convenient" and "very favourable" to Trump if there was anything he "embarrassing" he wanted to cover up about his alleged involvement.

House Oversight Chair James Comer told CNN last week that they have yet to respond to the request for immunity put forward by Maxwell's attorney. He stated firmly: "It will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony. I don’t think there are many Republicans who want to give immunity to someone who may have been sex trafficking children."

Maxwell's conditions as laid out by her attorneys include a grant of formal immunity, the interview can't happen at the correctional facility where she's serving her sentence, and she is to prepare adequately for any congressional deposition.

It's likely the Supreme Court will not act on Maxwell's petition until October, when the justices are scheduled to return from a summer break. Her attorneys said if the demands cannot be met, that "Maxwell will have no choice but to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights".

Trump has firmly maintained his innocence about his involvement with the now deceased Epstein, who he has insisted was an acquaintance and not a friend. He claims the pair fell out when the convicted sex offender "stole" young women who worked at his Mar-a-Lago beach club spa.