‘You wish her well?’: New anti-Trump ad focuses on president’s shocking comment about Ghislaine Maxwell

‘No sympathy for young girls who were molested by powerful people?’ narrator asks in video

A new ad by a Republican campaign group has criticised president Donald Trump for his comments about Ghislaine Maxwell earlier this week, where he wished her well.

Ms Maxwell is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn facing charges of trafficking, sexual exploitation and abuse of minors, following her arrest on 2 July.

The 58-year-old has been accused of luring and grooming underage girls, so her former boyfriend and business associate, Jeffrey Epstein, could abuse them. She pleaded not guilty to several charges last week.

When asked about her case at a press conference on Tuesday, the president said: “I just wish her well, frankly,” and added: “I’ve met her numerous times over the years, especially since I lived in Palm Beach.”

A new 30-second ad from the group, Republican Voters Against Trump, that was released on Wednesday, has criticised the president for his comments about the British socialite.

In the video the narrator begins by asking: “You wish her well? No sympathy for Maxwell’s victims? No sympathy for young girls who were molested by powerful people?”

While footage of Epstein and Mr Trump talking is shown in the video, the narrator adds: “I guess this shouldn’t be a surprise.

“After all, when you’re a star, they let you do it,” the narrator says, directly quoting from audio of Mr Trump talking to Billy Bush in an Access Hollywood tape where he said because he is famous he can grab women by their genitals, according to The Hill.

The 30-second video is not the first ad from Republican Voters Against Trump that has criticised the president, and on Tuesday the group released one that mocked him for repeatedly claiming the coronavirus pandemic would “just disappear”.

Over narration of Mr Trump listing several numbers where he thought the death total would end, the ad included a chart that showed the country’s figures continuing to rise to much higher levels than anywhere else in the world.

In a statement sent to The Hill, Erin Perrine, director of press communications for the Trump campaign, criticised the new attack ad.

“This is the swamp —yet again — trying to take down the duly elected president of the United States. President Trump is the leader of a united Republican Party where he has earned 94 per cent of Republican votes during the primaries — something any former president of any party could only dream of.”