U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has launched a federal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's connections with President Trump's political adversaries, including Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, and Reid Hoffman, following Trump's public demands. Trump framed the probe as exposing a 'Democrat hoax' despite his own past ties to Epstein and no accusations of misconduct against his targets by victims. This move highlights concerns about the Justice Department's independence and is seen as an attempt to deflect scrutiny from Trump himself.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Friday that she has ordered Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to investigate Jeffrey Epstein's ties to President Donald Trump's political opponents, including former President Bill Clinton, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman, as well as financial giant JPMorgan Chase. This directive came after Trump publicly demanded the probe on his Truth Social platform, labeling the matter 'the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans' and a 'Russia, Russia, Russia Scam' aimed at his political rivals. Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, asserted his authority as 'the chief law enforcement officer of the country' to order such investigations. The announcement caps a week where congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate, while House Democrats highlighted emails mentioning Trump. Critics view Bondi's swift acquiescence as another instance of the erosion of the Justice Department's traditional independence from the White House and an extraordinary deflection attempt by Trump, who himself has faced scrutiny for his closeness to Epstein. None of the individuals Trump targeted have been accused of sexual misconduct by Epstein's victims. The FBI had previously stated it found no evidence to predicate an investigation against 'uncharged third parties.' JPMorgan Chase expressed regret for its association with Epstein but denied aiding his crimes, blaming the government for not sharing incriminating information. Bill Clinton acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but denied knowledge of his crimes, with his spokesperson stating emails prove his innocence. Summers and Hoffman, who exchanged emails with Epstein, have expressed regret for their association, with Hoffman calling for the full release of Epstein files to disprove 'political persecution.' Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008 and later died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Bondi praised Clayton as a capable prosecutor, assuring urgency and integrity in the investigation. The House is moving towards a vote to force the Justice Department to release all Epstein-related files. Trump, while claiming indifference to the release of files, insisted that if they are released, the investigation must include his named targets, reiterating his 'Democrat hoax' narrative.
