The Department of Justice signaled a shift in its approach to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealing that he has reached out to Ghislaine Maxwell to gauge her willingness to cooperate with prosecutors.

Blanche confirmed Tuesday that, under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, the DOJ is now open to hearing what Maxwell might have to offer regarding uncharged individuals who may have participated in Epstein’s criminal enterprise.

‘This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead,’ Blanche said in a post on X Tuesday.

Blanche reaffirmed the July 6 joint statement issued by the DOJ and FBI, which concluded that a thorough review of FBI files related to the Epstein case uncovered no new evidence to support charges against additional parties. 

‘Namely, that in the recent thorough review of the files maintained by the FBI in the Epstein case, no evidence was uncovered that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties,’ Blanche wrote.

That memo, which was signed by FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, sparked controversy after President Donald Trump, Bondi and FBI leaders repeatedly said they would release all documents related to Epstein.

Sources told Fox News that Bongino, who signed off on the memo, complained about it in private following public backlash.

The new outreach to Maxwell is in the hopes that Epstein’s convicted accomplice ‘has information about anyone who has committed crime against victims,’ Blanche said.

‘President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence…’ he wrote. ‘Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department.’

The new outreach to Maxwell marks the first time, according to Blanche, that any administration has approached her legal team with an inquiry into potential cooperation. 

‘That changes now,’ Blanche emphasized.

Blanche said he ‘anticipates meeting with Ms. Maxwell in the coming days.’

David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s attorney, confirmed to Fox News that they are ‘in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully.’

‘We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case,’ he said.

Patel responded succinctly to Blanche’s statement, writing on X Tuesday: ‘Get it.’

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of helping Epstein traffic teen girls. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and has appealed her case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to prosecutors’ and survivor’s testimony, Maxwell helped recruit and groom underage girls, arrange travel and housing, as well as facilitate abuse at properties owned by Epstein.

Victims described Maxwell as a trusted adult figure who manipulated and coerced them into sexual encounters with Epstein and others.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ and the FBI for comment.

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that the United States will exit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

‘President Donald Trump has decided to withdraw the United States from UNESCO – which supports woke, divisive cultural and social causes that are totally out-of-step with the commonsense policies that Americans voted for in November. This president will always put America First and ensure our country’s membership in all international organizations aligns with our national interests,’ White House Deputy Spokesperson Anna Kelly said on Tuesday.

‘The U.S. continues to demonstrate moral clarity in the international arena and when it comes to its involvement and financial investments in international organizations, and makes it clear that it is unwilling to support entities that promote hatred, historical revisionism, and political divisiveness over advancing shared universal values,’ Israeli U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon said in a statement.

Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar also commended the decision, which he said ‘is a necessary step, designed to promote justice and Israel’s right to fair treatment in the U.N. system, a right which has often been trampled due to politicization in this arena.’

‘Singling out Israel and politicization by member states must end, in this and all professional U.N. agencies,’ Sa’ar added.

The move comes as the administration continues to make waves in the international community, and in particular at the U.N. The U.S.- and Israel-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has drawn the ire of the U.N. and other international bodies. 

Additionally, Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed his concerns about the Trump administration’s foreign aid cuts, which he said would be ‘especially devastating’ to the world’s vulnerable populations, according to Reuters.

State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement on the exit that ‘continued involvement with UNESCO is not in the national interest of the United States.’

‘UNESCO works to advance divisive social and cultural causes and maintains an outsized focus on the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, a globalist, ideological agenda for international development at odds with our America First foreign policy,’ the statement read. ‘UNESCO’s decision to admit the ‘State of Palestine’ as a Member State is highly problematic, contrary to U.S. policy, and contributed to the proliferation of anti-Israel rhetoric within the organization.’

Trump withdrew the U.S. from UNESCO in October 2017, during his first term, but former President Joe Biden had the country rejoin the agency in 2023. In 2017, the State Department said the U.S. was withdrawing from the agency for very similar reasons, suggesting UNESCO has not sufficiently fixed the issues at the center of the Trump administration’s concerns.

President Donald Trump slammed Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., calling the lawmaker ‘the worst Republican Congressman’ in a Monday night Truth Social post, while noting that he is seeking a challenger he can support against the incumbent lawmaker.

‘Thomas Massie, the worst Republican Congressman, and an almost guaranteed NO VOTE each and every time, is an Embarrassment to Kentucky. He’s lazy, slow moving, and totally disingenuous – A real loser! Never has anything positive to add. Looking for someone good to run against this guy, someone I can Endorse and vigorously campaign for!’ Trump declared in the post.

The president’s post linked to a video by MAGA KY targeting the congressman for ouster. ‘Let’s fire Thomas Massie,’ the voiceover declares.

Fox News Digital reached out to Massie early on Tuesday morning, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Massie, a fiscal hawk, voted against passage of the Trump-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Trump has been a vociferous critic of the congressman.

In a Truth Social post last month, the president asserted that Massie ‘is not MAGA,’ and declared, ‘we will have a wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard.’

Billionaire business tycoon Elon Musk has indicated that he will donate to support Massie’s re-election bid.