Expert floats new theory on 'blackmail' behind Melania Trump's 'bizarre' Epstein rant

A political expert floated a new theory about what could have prompted first lady Melania Trump to deliver her "really bizarre" statement about disgraced financier and convicted sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein last week.

Allison Gill, owner of MSW Media and host of "The Daily Beans" podcast, said during a new episode on Sunday that Epstein's accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, may have played a role in forcing Trump to make her statement. Gill argued that Maxwell has sought to maintain leverage over the Trump administration as she pursues a pardon, and may have used some of the tricks up her sleeve to "blackmail" Melania Trump.

"I have to wonder if she's under some sort of duress or maybe being blackmailed," Gill said.

Gill noted that Maxwell has made a couple of moves that suggest she is attempting to maintain leverage. For instance, Maxwell filed a habeas petition to prevent the release of her files after the Trump Department of Justice opposed her appeal of the conviction.

The timeline of Maxwell's recent transfer to a low-security prison despite her conviction as a sex offender also suggests that she is willing to use the files she has to get what she wants, Gill argued. She pointed to the Wall Street Journal's bombshell report about Epstein's birthday book and the drawing of what appears to be a young female torso that was signed by President Donald Trump. Two weeks after that report came out, Maxwell was moved to a new facility, Gill said.

Gill also noted that Melania Trump addressed old accusations and namedropped Maxwell in her statement, which seemed to further indicate that blackmail may have been involved.

"What's really bizarre about this is that no one has made any of those kinds of accusations for months," she said.