Well I mean bottom line is, it's a damned if he does damned if he doesn't situation.
She gets killed, that's insane fuel to the fire.
Trump pardons her... that's as good as admitting they are working together.
She actually tells what she knows, trumps fucked.
So... if you ask me based on a raw strategy... the DOJ is going to let the sweetheart deal appeal happen, and maxwell will comit perjury, say she happened to be in some of the places trump was, but never were that close and that trump always considered epstein a creep and kicked them out of marlago.